Dearborn Public Library

At the Dearborn Public Library (“DPL” or “Library”), we are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy by treating your personally identifiable information with the utmost confidentiality. Our commitment to privacy is grounded in legal standards and the ethical principles of librarianship. In line with the American Library Association’s belief that “Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association,” we strive to protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality concerning the information they seek, receive, or share, as well as the resources they consult, borrow, acquire, or transmit.

Under Michigan law (Michigan Library Privacy Act, P.A. 455, 1982), your library records are protected from disclosure to the public or the media. These records include any written or electronic information used to identify you, such as your borrowing history, name, address, phone number, or email address. While we take every precaution to protect your privacy, there may be situations where we are required by law to disclose this information. Library records may be disclosed to law enforcement officials as required by legal obligations, including the USA PATRIOT ACT, FOIA, or in the context of a civil lawsuit. In some cases, we may also be restricted from informing you if your records have been requested or obtained.

What information do we collect?

The Dearborn Public Library is committed to collecting only the minimum amount of personally identifiable information necessary to provide our services. We make every effort to avoid creating unnecessary records and keep your information only as long as required by the State of Michigan Record Retention and Disposal Schedule. We take measures to ensure your information is not publicly visible without your consent.

When you choose to provide personal information to access certain library services, we handle it with care and confidentiality. The Dearborn Public Library strives to work with vendors that reflect our beliefs in the right to privacy and confidentiality. We do not sell or license your information, and we only share it with third parties if they are working under contract with the library or if required by law.

We may collect the following personal information when you access library services:

Name
Address
Telephone Number
Email address
Date of Birth
Library barcode number
Driver’s License Number / State ID Number

The library does not retain records of your reading history beyond what is necessary for our operations. Once you return an item, it is promptly removed from your account. Items that accrue fees will stay on your account until the fees are settled. Please note that third-party vendors (refer to the section below on third-party vendors) may keep a record of your borrowing history.

We use Google and WordPress Analytics to collect data about the use of our website; this data is kept by DPL and is not readily accessible to outside parties. We use this information to improve our website and to track trends.

Your personal information (name, address, etc.) is not tracked. Our website collects the following data:

Browser type
Anonymized internet address
Operating system type
Device
Network service provider
Interaction data

Any personal information provided by you through email messages, web forms, in person, via telephone, or other communications is used only for the purpose for which it was submitted.

Who has access to my information?

All library patron records are considered confidential. Library records may only be disclosed to:

Library staff performing job duties
Cardholders upon proof of identity
Parents or guardians of minor children and/or vulnerable adults
Anyone with written consent of the cardholder
Under legal compulsion, such as a court order or subpoena

If a library cardholder is under the age of 18, the parent or guardian listed on the library account may receive limited information about the child’s record. In accordance with Michigan law, parents or guardians must provide photo identification to verify their identity.

Adult patron records can be shared with another individual only with the expressed consent of the cardholder or their legal representation.

All library patrons can view their personal account information either online or in person. To update information in person, a photo ID is required for verification.

How do we protect children’s privacy?

Children’s privacy and safety (defined as under age 18) is very important to us. Personal information collected by the library is not shared with any library-affiliated agency or vendor. Given the ease with which children can share personal information on the internet, we encourage parents and caregivers to monitor their children’s online activities.

DPL affirms the legal and constitutional rights to privacy for patrons accessing materials and information from a library. In compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), it is the policy of the Library to: (a) deter user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via the Internet; (b) deter unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; and (c) deter unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors. To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or “Internet filters”) shall be used to block or filter Internet access or other forms of electronic communications to “harmful material,” as required by CIPA.

The Library will comply with the requirements of CIPA while upholding the constitutional and
legal rights to privacy and confidentiality of its patrons.

Our Digital Services and Your Device?

HTTPS

The library’s website (dearbornlibrary.org) is encrypted via HTTPS. All communications between your browser and the library website are private, and your account information is also encrypted.

Cookies

A cookie is a small file sent to your browser by a website each time you visit it. Cookies are stored on your computer and can transmit personal information. They are used to remember information about your preferences on the pages you visit.

Our library servers use cookies to verify that a person is an authorized user, allowing access to licensed library-affiliated or approved third-party vendors and enabling webpage customization to your preferences. Cookies obey the privacy settings that you have chosen in your browser, and we will not share cookie information with external third parties.You can refuse to accept cookies, disable them, or remove them from your hard drive. However, doing so may limit your access to some library services.

Data & Network Security

The library uses software programs that monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized or malicious attempts to upload or change information or otherwise cause damage.

Public Computers & Connected Devices

The library does not keep a record of your activities on any publicly accessible computer or device made available for public use. Any record of browsing history and activities is removed when you log out. All personally identifiable information is purged immediately at the end of your public computer session. A log is created that identifies a session ID for the computer terminal number, reservation time, and duration of the session for statistics purposes. All Internet connected devices you borrow from the library have their history automatically cleared immediately after powering down the device.

Email & Marketing

You may choose to subscribe to a variety of DPL electronic mailing lists that promote library news and activities. The mailing lists are serviced by an affiliated vendor. See below for information on how the library works with third-party vendors.

Using Third-Party Vendors

The library partners with third parties to offer online services, digital collections, streaming media content, and more. While using these services, you might also interact with social networks and other users.

Affiliated third-party vendors may collect and share various types of information, including:

Personally identifiable information (PPI) you provide, such as when you register for a site, give feedback, request information, or create shared content.
Other identifying information, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address, search history, location data, and device details.
Non-personally identifiable information, including ad views, analytics, browser details (type and language), cookie data, request times, demographic information, hardware/software details, interaction data, page views, and the site you visited before coming to the current site.
Additional data as outlined in the vendor’s privacy policy and terms of use.

For details on these third-party services and the data they may collect and share, refer to the Terms of Use and Privacy webpage. You can choose not to use these services if you do not agree with their terms and privacy policies. Please review them carefully.

We strive to ensure that our agreements with vendors align with our privacy policies and legal obligations. Our contracts limit how vendors can use, aggregate, share, and sell information, especially about minors.

When using remote or third-party sites, understand that the library’s privacy protections may not extend beyond our own services.

The library may also provide links to external websites, which may not offer the same privacy protections. You are not required to give these sites your library card or any personally identifiable information to use their services.

What Surveillance is Used at the Library?

Library Video Surveillance

All DPL locations are equipped with interior and exterior security cameras. Video footage is retained for seven days as directed by rule 17.051 of the State of Michigan Records Retention and Disposal Schedule – Public Libraries. Access to video footage is restricted to designated staff or third parties with legal authorization.

Body-Worn Cameras

Local police and public safety officers typically wear body-worn cameras. While police agencies do not conduct regular surveillance or patrols at Dearborn Public Library locations, they may respond to calls for service. Officers may record interactions, interviews, and other events when such recordings could be useful as evidence. Officers do not require your consent to record these interactions.

Handling Law Enforcement Requests

It is the policy of Dearborn Public Library to protect the confidentiality and privacy of its patrons’ registration and circulation records to the fullest extent allowed by law. Only the director or a designated representative is authorized to handle requests from law enforcement officers. We consult with our legal counsel whenever possible to determine the appropriate response. Library records are not disclosed to any state, federal, or local government agency without a subpoena, warrant, court order, or other legal document that mandates disclosure. These orders must be properly issued and demonstrate good cause. Library staff are instructed to direct any law enforcement inquiries to library administrators.

Public Recordings of Library Patrons

The public is welcome to use the public space in a policy-bound and lawful manner. Members of the public are not required to ask for consent before recording activity in a public space. Per state law, members of the public are not required to disclose their recording activities (one-party consent). However, library staff may inquire about activities to maintain a safe and comfortable environment. Staff may also request individuals to redirect or cease recording if it violates laws or library policies. Library staff are also considered members of the public.

Our commitment to you

Our policy is to safeguard your personally identifiable information from unauthorized disclosure. We conduct regular privacy audits to ensure that all library programs and services adhere to this privacy policy. If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about how the library manages your privacy and confidentiality, please contact our Administrative Office.

The library reserves the right to update or modify this privacy policy at any time. Any changes will be promptly posted on the library’s website.

Approved by the Dearborn Library Commission

February 21, 2025