Confidentiality Policy – Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Maine: Approved by Curtis Board of Directors 1-21-2010

  • Borrowing history
  • Reserve requests
  • Fine records
  • Records identifying names of users with specific materials, equipment or electronic resources
  • Area of research
  • The frequency, number or nature of library visits
  • All library registration files.

Curtis Memorial Library maintains no record of those items that have been borrowed and returned unless an overdue charge is outstanding. Access to patron information within the library must be limited to a need-to-know basis, enforced by authorization passwords.

  • No records can be made available to any inquiries, including law enforcement, unless a subpoena or warrant has been served by a court of competent jurisdiction.
  • Records will be made available immediately upon presentation of a valid warrant.
  • Records will be released in response to a subpoena after consultation with legal counsel.
  • Whereas a subpoena or a search warrant under the USA Patriot Act (P.L.107-56) supersedes state statutes, confidential patron information will be turned over to federal law enforcement officers if such documents are presented.
  • Library representatives shall not honor requests from federal law enforcement officers unless a subpoena or search warrant is presented pursuant thereto.
  • Only Federal officers can use the Patriot Act to request information. Please refer to the process document on the Staff Information System for procedures.

Curtis Memorial Library recognizes and adheres to the provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated Title 27, Section 121 -Confidentiality of library records, which reads as follows.

Records maintained by any public municipal library, the Maine State Library, the Law and Legislative Reference Library and libraries of the University of Maine System and the Maine Maritime Academy that contain information relating to the identity of a library patron relative to the patron’s use of books or other materials at the library are confidential. Those records may only be released with the express written permission of the patron involved or as the result of a court order.

Approved by Curtis Board of Directors 1-21-10