These privacy Guidelines have been produced to support individual members in adhering to the CILIP Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Practice. It is hoped that these guidelines will enable information professionals at all levels to understand the basic principles of user privacy and to reflect on their own practice and that of their employing organisation.
You can download the full document and sections of it.
The Guidelines were published in December 2009 and revised in May 2011.
What's in each section
Below there is information on what's included in Sections two to six (Section one is the Contents and Introduction). As you can use the search function in the PDFs to find specific areas you are interested in, we have also listed some key search terms.
Section 2 Privacy
Issues around personal data and data sharing, use of the internet, encryption and CCTV in libraries. Also includes children and privacy and privacy in prison libraries.
Key search terms: CCTV, children, cybercrime, data sharing, encryption, internet, personal data, public workstation.
Section 3 Keeping users informed
Best practice in keeping users informed of library procedures. The type of data kept, for how long and what libraries do when asked for personal data.
Key search terms: data sharing, electronically generated data, personal data, personal security.
Section 4 How to handle requests for data
Requests for information from members of the public, partner organisations, the police and other security agencies. Also has information on the access restrictions to the electoral register.
Key search terms: electoral register, Data Protection Act, fishing, personal data, private personal data, public personal data, reflective practitioner, subject access request, surveillance, third party data.
Sections 5 & 6 The Law and the privacy of users & Ethics Panel
Key legislation, statutory bodies and contact details of the confidential services offered by the Ethics Panel to members of CILIP.
Key search terms: data protection principles, EHCR, encrypted data, ethics, ICO, information commissioner's office, public concern at work, whistleblowing.
Appendices
Use of the internet in prison libraries, CILIP's User Privacy in Libraries Task and Finish Group, Warwickshire Library and Information Service Child Photographic Consent Form and a list of web links for the document.