Privacy Policy
Statement of Values
The Manchester Community Library believes the right to privacy is essential to free inquiry, thought, speech, and association. All Library users should be free to select, explore, and consider information for themselves without fear of censure, judgment, or punishment. The Library upholds the ALA Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights. The Manchester Community Library does not sell any library user data or share user data with other organizations except in cases where the Library partners with said organizations to provide services (e.g., sharing RSVPs to an off-site event with event hosts).
Library Privacy Regulations
The ethics of the field of library science and the laws of the state of Vermont (22 V.S.A. § 172) provide for the confidentiality of library members’ registration and borrowing records. As such, Library staff keep confidential records of membership and the borrowing activities tied to each account. Member registrations and borrowing records are available only to staff and agents of the Library to the extent necessary to administer Library services.
Library members may make corrections and updates to the Library’s records of their contact information and other personal details by logging into the catalog and visiting the My Account page. Because membership information is kept confidential, updating personal details in the catalog does not carry over to other Library systems, such as the newsletter or donor database. Please contact the Library directly for assistance updating these systems.
Household memberships and privacy of records
Please see the Membership page for information about the kinds of memberships available at the Library. A family living together may set up a household Library membership, each with a library card. The membership is billed (for non-resident members) and renewed as a single unit. In this case, membership and borrowing records are kept separately and confidentially, except for messages related to membership renewal. Each individual’s records are not available to other household members (except to parents/guardians of children under 12, as specified under Records of Members Under Age 12, see below).
A household membership can also be arranged such that one adult is the primary borrower named on the account, and this individual specifies the other adults/children residing with them who are authorized borrowers on their card/account. In this case, the non-primary borrowers can check out materials from the Library on the card, but only the primary borrower will be allowed access to account records. The primary borrower will be able to see what materials other authorized borrowers on that card have used the account to access.
Members over the age of 12 may authorize someone else in writing to borrow items on their membership by filling out a Library Card Access Permission Form. This authorization will be in effect until canceled. All items borrowed during this time are the responsibility of the member. If a member over the age of 12 cannot complete a written authorization and requires assistance to manage their Library membership, their custodial parent or legal guardian may present paperwork—usually court documents—demonstrating the custodial arrangement to be authorized on the account.
If a judicial order or warrant directs disclosure, the Library may be required to share your information with the relevant authorities. No confidential information on Library members will be revealed to law enforcement without presenting an authorized judicial order or warrant directing disclosure.
The Library will only create and renew household memberships according to the structure described in the first paragraph of this section. Library members who currently have household memberships structured according to the second paragraph may visit the Help Desk to request that their accounts be changed to give each household member their card during any of the Library’s open hours and will be asked to do so at the time of the next renewal of their membership if they have not done so by that time.
Records of members under age 12
Custodial parents and guardians of Library members under 12 may reference their children’s Library records and borrow and return materials on their children’s behalf. 22 V.S.A. § 172 provides for disclosing library users’ membership and borrowing records to custodial parents or guardians. The Library has the right to take reasonable steps to verify that the person attempting to access the membership is a custodial parent or guardian of the child they are inquiring about before providing the records, including by asking for photo identification.
Once a Library member turns 12, custodial parents and guardians will no longer be granted permission to view that member’s records, including records from before the member turned 12. Act 150, S.220 sets the age of confidentiality at 12.
Deletion of member records
Library memberships that have expired and been inactive for two years are purged from Library records unless there is an outstanding fine related to overdue materials. Library members who wish to purge their membership records before the account expires and two years have passed may request that the records be deleted by submitting a Request for Data Deletion. The Library has the right to take reasonable steps to verify that the person submitting the request is the membership owner before deleting the records, including by asking for photo identification. Members requesting deletion must settle outstanding fees owed to the Library before the records are deleted.
Recording
Images & Video
Library staff and volunteers take photos and videos to document events and proceedings and share them with the community. Users of the Library may also record images, audio, and video in Library spaces where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g., common areas of the Library including, but not limited to, entrances, near book and media collections, public seating, delivery areas, and parking lots. Recording is not permitted in areas where staff and the public have a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g., restrooms and study rooms), and it is not permitted to record in such a way as to intentionally identify a person’s reading, viewing, or listening activities in the Library.
Recordings and photographs taken by Library staff may be uploaded to the Library’s online channels, e.g., the Library website, YouTube channel, social media channels, and GNAT-TV. Library staff will take reasonable steps to avoid posting recordings or photographs identifying a person’s reading, viewing, or listening activities. Library users may opt out of themselves and/or their minor children being photographed/recorded by Library staff by approaching the photographer and requesting to be excluded from recording for that event or day. Library users requesting this exemption will be asked to complete a Recording Exemption Form.
If you would like a photograph or recording of you to be removed from our website or social media accounts, please let us know via the Request for Data Deletion. Library staff will respond to requests for deletion within five business days. Where possible, please provide a link to where the media is displayed.
If you have a great photo or footage of Library activities or of you or someone you know enjoying one of our events, we would love to take a look. Send it in, and we might feature it online.
Tip: If you upload or otherwise transmit your images to the Manchester Community Library and permit us to post them on the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Security cameras
The Manchester Community Library operates security cameras on the exterior and interior of the building to increase the safety of Library users, staff, and property; to discourage violations of Library rules of conduct; and, where necessary, to assist Library staff or law enforcement in following up on violations of Library policy or the law, respectively. This policy should be interpreted with the understanding that the image of a person on library property is not protected. Anything identifying the content of a library user’s account is protected and held private.
Signage posted at the Library’s entrances notifies the public that security cameras are in use. Cameras may be installed in locations where staff and patrons would not expect privacy. Examples include common areas of the Library such as entrances, near book and media collections, public seating, delivery areas, and parking lots. Cameras will not be installed in areas where staff and users have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms and study rooms, nor are they positioned to intentionally identify a person’s reading, viewing, or listening activities in the library. Cameras will not be installed to monitor staff performance.
Staff may have access to real-time video monitors. The monitors are located in secure areas to ensure privacy. Designated staff may additionally access stored footage in pursuit of documented incidents of criminal activity or violation of the Library’s rules of conduct. Staff designated to access stored footage are the Executive and Associate Directors, Facilities Manager, and other individuals designated by the Executive Director.
Library user access to video footage is only allowed with a valid court order. For investigations initiated by law enforcement agencies, recorded data will be made available to law enforcement upon presentation of a valid court order or subpoena establishing probable cause to review the data. However, in emergencies that present an imminent danger of physical harm, law enforcement may gain access without a court order. In such imminent danger emergencies where law enforcement calls for a waiver of the court order, the requesting officer must provide their name, agency, badge number, the nature of the emergency, and the extent of data requested.
Production of video copies for distribution is limited to designated staff as specified above and may only be carried out with permission from the Executive or Assistant Director.
Images will be stored for a length of time based on available storage, but 30 days at maximum, except when retention is specifically requested by someone with authority to access recordings as specified in this policy or for images used in ban-and-bar documentation. As new images are recorded, the oldest images will be automatically deleted. The length of storage time varies depending on the camera’s memory and recording length.
In situations involving banned-and-barred users, stored still images may be shared with staff system-wide. Shared images may remain posted in restricted staff areas for the banning period. After the ban ends, these images will be archived in the administrative offices for five years.
Because security cameras are not constantly monitored, staff and library users should take appropriate precautions to protect their personal property and safety. The Manchester Community Library is not responsible for property loss or personal injury.
Public Computers and Wi-Fi
The Library does not monitor individual users’ online behavior on public computers or personal devices connected to our public Wi-Fi. Custodial parents and guardians of children under 12 are responsible for monitoring their children’s use of Library technology. Users should be aware that, in some cases, third parties can gain access to information transmitted over a public wireless network, and users accept this risk by using the Library’s free wireless internet service.
Public computers are set up to delete browsing history and cached data daily. Still, users always have the option to delete their browsing data at the end of a computer session to ensure subsequent users that day will not see it. It is the user’s responsibility to delete their browsing data at the end of a computer session if so desired. If you are unsure how to do this, you can request help from Library staff at the Help Desk.
Library Website
Contact forms and event registrations
Information submitted via web forms is only shared with other organizations as necessary to provide the service the form is requesting (e.g., registering you for an event or joint/co-sponsored event or answering a request for technical support). Most fields on these forms are optional, and users are not required to submit personally identifying information except to such an extent as it will help staff contact them to follow up on their inquiries. Form submission data is not used for the Library’s advertising or solicitation purposes unless the user grants that permission, usually by ticking a checkbox that indicates their willingness to share their data for this purpose.
Form submission data is stored on the Library’s web server for up to 90 days before being deleted. Emails about form submissions, such as the email receipts you might receive to confirm you have submitted a form, may be stored longer than that by their recipients (i.e., you), Library staff, and email service providers.
Embedded content from other websites
Pages on the Library website may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, and articles). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if the user has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Aggregate Data
The Library collects aggregate data about how library users interact with our services, including but not limited to:
- the number of people who visit our premises each day, and the number of people who use particular services like the public computers and wi-fi,
- the number of people who attend events at the library,
- the number of people who visit our website and who visit particular pages on it,
- the number of people who view and like our social media posts, and watch our online videos, and
- the number of people who subscribe to and open our digital newsletters.
The Library uses these numbers as statistics to help measure the success of our services but does not report library users’ names or other identifying data in these records. All paper records of who used a service, such as sign-in sheets for public computers, are destroyed after their entries are counted at the end of each business week.
Data Breach Procedures
The Manchester Community Library takes user privacy seriously and takes multiple measures to ensure no one gains unauthorized access to user data. If such a breach is discovered, the Library will immediately work to establish what data was affected, when, and how; will take steps to remove all unauthorized access from Library systems; will notify all library users whose personal data was affected by the breach; and will post a public notice of the breach. After all of these steps are completed, Library staff will review the breach event to decide what measures can be taken to prevent a recurrence of the event.
Last updated September 2024
Statement of Purpose:
The Manchester Community Library (MCL) organizes, develops, and presents a wide array of programming for the public, providing opportunities for learning, entertainment, and public benefit. The Library seeks to provide opportunities for all community members, regardless of age, gender, background, or beliefs, and allow individuals to see themselves reflected in the programming options available. MCL also offers its facilities for programs and events by area organizations, aligned with the Library’s role as a community center.
Definitions
- The Library – Refers to the Manchester Community Library located at 138 Cemetery Ave, Manchester Center, VT 05255, and any Library Program offered outside the building or online.
- Library Programs – Library programs are planned and implemented by the Library staff and are typically free and open to the public. However, limited
exceptions restricting open public attendance may arise, e.g., for school classes
hosted by MCL. - Library Supported Programs – The Library will support programs that are neither planned nor implemented by Library staff but are consistent with the Library’s policies. These programs receive support from the Library (e.g., by receiving staff assistance in planning and/or promotion, and/or benefitting from financial aid from the Library) and are typically free of charge and open to the public. Sales of any items must be pre-approved by the Program Director and organized and implemented by the presenter or their associates, not the Library staff.
- Events – Library spaces are available to outside organizations, groups, and individuals. Preference is given to organizations committed to public good and community enrichment. If an event is free, open to the public, and during regular Library hours, there will be no room rental cost. Other events will be charged following the Library’s current room rental rates. Sales of any items at events must be pre-approved by the Program Director and organized and implemented by the presenter or their associates, not the Library staff.
Selection of Programming
MCL organizes, schedules, develops, and implements a wide variety of programming that aligns with the mission of the Library, which is to be open to all as an inspiring gathering place for the community, providing opportunities and resources for personal enrichment and growth. Programming decisions are made through a variety of criteria, including, but not limited to:
- Community needs and interests
- Diversity in the range of viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives
- Relevance to the needs and interests of the Library community
- Treatment of content for the intended audience
- Presentation quality
- Background and qualifications of the presenter
- Educational significance
- Connection to other community programs or events
- Connection to Library collection, resources, programs, or events
- Availability of space
- Budget and staffing considerations
- Requests from individuals
Scheduling of Programming
Library meeting spaces are open to educational, cultural, intellectual, charitable, religious, or political organizations. They are available on “an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use” (“Meeting Rooms, Exhibit Spaces, and Programs,” American Library Association). The Library reserves the right to refuse spaces to any groups practicing or participating in the dissemination of hate speech. The library shall control its facilities’ time, place, and manner of use, provided those arrangements do not discriminate against users’ or presenters’ origin, age, background, or views. Spaces can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and the Library will accommodate requests as received based on availability. The scheduling of programs and events will be limited to the Library’s operating hours, with exceptions considered on an individual basis. The Library staff shall have the right to cancel, reschedule, or transfer room locations or dates that conflict with library-sponsored programs and will give as much notice as possible. To make the spaces available to as many different groups and individuals in the community as possible, the Library may limit the number of times a group or individual may schedule to use a space each month. The Library reserves the right to revoke or refuse permission to use a space if the nature of the planned activity is physically inappropriate for the character of the room or disruptive to regular library functions.
Room Rentals
For events that are not free and open to the public:
- Hunter Community Room (HCR) – 1450 sq ft. 29’x50’
- $500 for a 4-hour block
- $150 for each additional hour
- Rental of the HCR includes access to the Marble Patio
- Marble Patio without the HCR
$125 per hour - Commons (15’x30’) & Upper Gallery (8’x30’) 690 sq ft
$125 per hour - Conference Room 459 sq ft 17’x27’
$125 per hour - Gallery 272 sq ft 16’x17’
$100 per hour - Seminar Room 187 sq ft 11’x17’
$50 per hour
Room rentals are limited to the Library’s operational hours unless otherwise approved by the Executive Director. Room rental fees may be increased to reflect the need for Library staff to be present. The person/organization renting Library space is responsible for food, beverages, or special equipment. Serving alcohol will require the renter to independently procure a licensed caterer who can apply for and obtain the necessary serving permits. The caterer must also provide a state-certified bartender to serve alcoholic beverages at the event. The MCL requires copies of all necessary paperwork, including the Alcohol Serving Permit issued by the state of Vermont and a certificate of insurance, no later than four weeks before the event.
General Selection Statement
The Manchester Community Library’s collection development policy is guided by the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement.
The Library will strive to develop and maintain a collection of the best and most useful materials available in view of the community’s overall needs and within the yearly budget’s limits. Materials representing as many opinions as possible will be selected in order to provide a balanced collection of varying viewpoints.
Responsibility for Selection
Ultimate responsibility for the library collection rests with the Board of Trustees. However, collection development is a process guided through all its stages by the expertise and judgment of librarians. Therefore the Board of Trustees delegates to the Executive Director and his/her designated staff the day-to-day responsibility for selecting and de-selecting library materials.
Selection Aides
Collection development decisions are made based on the expertise and judgment of librarians. Library staff considers review sources such as, but are not limited to: Library Journal, Booklist, Hornbook, New York Times Book Review, standard lists, subject bibliographies, and patron requests when selecting materials for the collection. Materials receiving unfavorable reviews may be selected if there is significant patron demand, if the material is of particular interest locally, or if the material fills a special unmet need in the collection.
- Criteria for Selection
- The Library considers all acquisitions in terms of one or more of the following:
- High standards of quality in content and format
- Authority and accuracy of subject matter
- Reputation of the author, publisher, or illustrator
- Readability and popular appeal
- Timeliness or permanence
- Format, durability, and ease of use
- Patron needs unmet by the existing collection
- Price and availability
No material will be rejected solely on the basis of the author’s point of view, race, or nationality. In keeping with the public library concept, the only technical books purchased will be those considered useful to the layman. The Library will not purchase textbooks.
Gifts
Gifts of materials in good condition are gratefully accepted with the understanding that once donated, the items become the property of the Library. The Library will not accept any item that is not an outright gift or that carries stipulations about its use, placement, or retention. A book in “good condition” has an intact cover, spine, and pages and does not contain any mold. The Library will not accept outdated reference material, encyclopedias, textbooks, or Reader’s Digest condensed books. Library staff will evaluate all donated items using the same selection criteria applied to purchased materials. If it is determined that the donated item does not meet the Library’s selection criteria, it may be given to another organization, placed in the Book Sale, recycled, or discarded. The Library reserves the right to decide when a gift added to the collection must be withdrawn. If requested by the donor, Library staff will supply a receipt noting the date, format, and number of items donated. Staff will not provide an estimate of the value of the donated items.
Whenever the Library receives a cash gift for the purchase of materials, the donor may specify the general nature or subject of the material to be purchased. However, based on the selection criteria in this policy, the Library staff will select the title(s).
De-selection (Weeding or Re-evaluation) of Materials
Systematic evaluation of Library materials is an essential part of collection development that helps ensure a relevant, accurate, and useful collection. During the re-evaluation and review of a particular item, it may become evident that it no longer meets the Library’s needs. Such an item will be withdrawn from the collection. The general criteria for withdrawal of an item from the collection include:
- Outdated or incorrect information
- Availability of updated, newer, or revised material
- Circulation or usage of the item
- Value of the items as a classic
- Condition of the item
- Duplication of the item in the collection
- Availability of newer items on the same subject in the collection
De-selection decisions will be based on accepted professional practice and the judgment of the Library staff. When necessary, local specialists will be consulted to determine the continued relevance of the materials. Items withdrawn from the collection will be discarded, recycled, donated to another organization, or placed in the Library Book Sale.
Reconsideration of Materials
In order to carry out its mission to provide information and opportunities for personal enrichment and enjoyment to all people in the community, the Library will challenge any attempt to censor materials in its collection. A member’s choice of material for personal use is an individual matter. Responsibility for using Library materials by children and adolescents rests solely with their parents/guardians/adult caregivers. The Library will not operate in loco parentis.
If a concern arises about a specific item in the collection, Library staff will be available to discuss the concern and identify alternative materials that are available. If a member’s concern is not satisfied through discussion with staff, the member will be given a copy of the Library’s Collection Development Policy and will be asked to fill out a Request for Reconsideration of Materials Form, which will then be reviewed by the Executive Director. Item(s) will remain in the collection during the reconciliation process.
The Executive Director will notify the Board of Trustees that a reconsideration request has been received, examine the material in question, and assemble critical reviews of that material. Since the overall contribution of the work is critical for acceptance or rejection, the Executive Director will consider the merits of the entire item, not just the specific passages or sections. The Executive Director will then meet with the complainant, who will be given the opportunity to explain his/her reason for requesting that the material be reconsidered. The Executive Director will explain the Library’s Collection Development Policy and justify his/her decision to retain or remove the material in the collection. If the meeting outcome does not satisfy the complainant, his/her request will be taken to the Library Board of Trustees for review at the next scheduled Board meeting.
Revised 1/8/24
Approved by the Board of Trustees 2/13/24
Library Card Access Permission Form
Your Library membership is not transferable to any other person, including family members. This is to protect your information and to have clear accountability for items borrowed. In the case where a Library member over the age of 12 cannot come to the Library on their own they may authorize someone else to help manage their borrowing and membership. If you wish a specific person to be allowed to use your Manchester Community Library card to borrow Library materials on your behalf, complete this form and return it to the Library.
Person to be Authorized:
Printable version. If you would prefer, you can print this form and bring it with you to the Library event you intend it to apply to, to give to MCL staff.
Library staff and volunteers take photos and videos to document Library proceedings andshare with the community. Users of the Library may also record images, audio, and video in Library spaces where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, meaning common areas of the Library such as entrances, near book and media collections, public seating, delivery areas, and parking lots. Recording is not permitted in areas where staff and public have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms, and it is not permitted to record in such a way as to intentionally identify a person’s reading, viewing, or listening activities in the Library.
Library users may opt out of themselves and/or their minor children being photographed/recorded by Library staff by approaching the photographer and requesting to be excluded from recording for that event or day, then filling out this form. Each Recording Exemption Form covers only the particular event it is filled out for.