Privacy Statement

Introduction

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Cofrin Library respects the privacy of library users in accordance with Wisconsin Statute §43.30, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the following statement in the American Library Association’s document Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights:

“Users have the right to be informed what policies and procedures govern the amount and retention of personally identifiable information, why that information is necessary for the library, and what the user can do to maintain his or her privacy.”

This statement reviews the types of personally identifiable information collected by the Library, how this information is used, and how it can be made accessible to third parties outside the Library.

Information We Collect

The following information may be collected by the Library about users of its facilities, website, online resources, services and systems:

The browser type, operating system, and the domain and Internet Protocol (IP) address from which the user is connecting.
UWGB ID number, address, phone number, and e-mail address.
Circulation record, such as checked-out materials, as well as current and historical fines.
Personalized Search@UW settings, such as search preferences, marked items, and saved searches.
Interlibrary loan requests.
Questions, including the full transcript of a conversation and the referring URL, submitted electronically to the Ask a Librarian chat service.
Activity in public areas of the building may be covered by security video surveillance cameras. Cameras are monitored by the Office of Public Safety and are governed by their Security Camera Policy.
For community members, personal identification card information is securely stored in a paper file.

How This Information Is Used

The Library collects library user data to support: user services, research to improve those services, the internal operations of the library, and content and software providers for which the data was gathered. In many circumstances, the user may be required to provide personal data in order to access library resources or receive services.

In circumstances when the provision of personal data is not required, the Library will offer options as to how much personal data is collected from the user and how it is employed. As feasible, the Library will also offer the choice to opt out at a later date and have data deleted.

Library user data that includes personally identifiable information shall be retained in that form only as long as necessary for operational purposes. If user data is to be retained for research purposes, access shall be limited to individuals authorized by the Library Director, per University of Wisconsin System Library General Records Schedule.

Access to Your Information

Information Shared with Partners

Library user data sometimes needs to be shared with other libraries and UW-Green Bay departments. For example:

Data regarding the user’s Universities of Wisconsin borrowing requests is shared with relevant UW libraries.
The user’s name is attached to requests the Library sends to other libraries to fulfill interlibrary loan requests.
When the user authenticates as a UW-Green Bay user for off-campus access to online library subscriptions, the user’s information, along with the requested resource, is sent to EZproxy, which is managed by the Library and the Division of Information Technology.
The user’s library fines, including item title, may be reported to the Bursar’s Office, and if necessary, the Office of Public Safety, other campus departments, or an external collection agency, which may report the user to a credit bureau if the fines are unpaid.
Inappropriate behavior, such as criminal activity or violations of campus policies, may be reported to the Office of Public Safety and/or the Dean of Students Office.
The user’s ID number may be shared with the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment.

When a user creates an account with or authenticates with a library vendor, how the user’s information is used and shared is governed by that vendor’s privacy policy and/or UW-Green Bay’s contract with that vendor.

Release of Information to Third Parties

In an effort to respect all users’ privacy and in accordance with FERPA and the ALA’s Policy Concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information About Library Users and Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records, the Library maintains a strict policy of not releasing any information about the use of the Library to third parties, except as required by law or unless it obtains the user’s permission to do so.

Using Resources Anonymously

Users have the following options if they prefer to use our resources and services anonymously:

To access electronic resources, use a public computer on campus that does not require a personal login.
To ask for assistance, visit the Library in person, call the Library, or chat with the Library online without sharing personally identifying information.
To access physical resources in the Library’s general collection, use materials in the building without checking them out.

Questions

Questions or comments about the Library’s privacy statement may be emailed to the Coordinator of Public Services or mailed to:

Coordinator of Public Services, Cofrin Library
Univ of Wisconsin-Green Bay
2420 Nicolet Dr
Green Bay WI 54311