This privacy policy explains your privacy and confidentiality rights, the steps this library takes to respect and protect your privacy when you use library resources, and how we deal with personally identifiable information that we may collect from our users.

Our commitment to your privacy and confidentiality has deep roots not only in Nevada state law (NRS 239.013) but also in the ethics and practices of librarianship. In accordance with the American Library Association's Code of Ethics:

We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted.

Notice & Openness

We affirm that our library users have the right of "notice"- to be informed about the policies governing the amount and retention of personally identifiable information, and about why that information is necessary for the provision of library services. We post publicly and acknowledge openly the privacy and information-gathering policies of this library. Whenever policies change, notice of those changes is posted on the website (www.churchillcountylibrary.org).

Choice & Consent

This policy explains our information practices and the choices you can make about the way the library collects and uses your information. We will not collect or retain your private and personally identifiable information without your consent. If you wish to receive borrowing privileges, we must obtain certain information about you in order to provide you with a library account. When visiting the library website and using our electronic services, you may be required to provide your name, e-mail address, and/or library card number. Further, if you consent to give us your personally identifiable information, we will keep it confidential and will not sell, license or disclose personal information to any third party without your consent, unless we are compelled to do so under the law or to comply with a court order.

Access by Users

Individuals who use library services that require the collection of personally identifiable information to function, such as notification of overdue items, holds, reminders, etc. are entitled to view and/or update their information. You may either view or update your personal information online or in person. In both instances, you may be asked to provide some sort of verification such as a pin number or identification card to ensure verification of identity.

Data Integrity & Security

Data Integrity: The data we collect and maintain at the library must be accurate and secure. We take reasonable steps to assure data integrity, including: using only reputable sources of data; providing our users access to their own personally identifiable data; updating data whenever necessary; utilizing middleware authentication systems that authorize use without requiring personally identifiable information; destroying untimely data or converting it to anonymous form.

Data Retention: We endeavor to protect personally identifiable information from unauthorized disclosure by shredding or purging personal information once it is no longer needed to manage library services. Information that should be regularly purged or shredded includes personally identifiable information on library resource use, and material circulation history.

Security Measures: Our security measures involve policies and procedures to protect against loss and the unauthorized access, destruction, use, or disclosure of the data. Our measures include internal organizational procedures that limit access to data and ensure that those individuals with access do not utilize the data for unauthorized purposes.

Staff access to personal data: We permit only authorized library staff with assigned confidential passwords to access personal data stored in the library's computer system for the purpose of performing library work. We will not disclose any personal data we collect from you to any other party except where required by law or to fulfill an individual user's service request. The library does not sell or lease users' personal information to companies or individuals.

Third Party Security: We endeavor to ensure that our library's contracts, licenses, and offsite computer service arrangements reflect our policies and legal obligations concerning user privacy and confidentiality. Should a third party require access to our users' personally identifiable information, our agreements address appropriate restrictions on the use, aggregation, dissemination, and sale of that information, particularly information about minors. In circumstances in which there is a risk that personally identifiable information may be disclosed, we endeavor to warn our users if legally able. When connecting to licensed databases outside the library, we release only information that authenticates users as Churchill County Library cardholders.

Tracking Users: We attempt to remove links between patron records and materials as soon as the original purpose for data collection has been satisfied. We permit in-house access to information in all formats and endeavor to remove any data trail. We do not ask library visitors or website users to identify themselves or reveal any personal information unless they are borrowing materials, requesting special services, or making remote use from outside the library of those portions of the Library's website restricted to registered borrowers. We regularly endeavor to remove cookies, Web history, cached files, or other computer and Internet use records and other software code that is placed on our computers or networks.

Enforcement & Redress

Our library will not share data on individuals with third parties unless required by law. Library users who have questions, concerns, or complaints about the library's handing of their privacy and confidentiality rights should file written comments with the Library Director. We will respond in a timely manner and may conduct an investigation or review of policy and procedures.

Approved by the Churchill County Library Board of Trustees December 19, 2013. Updated and approved by the Churchill County Library Board of Trustee May 25, 2017.