Group 4:Kevin BittleSheree BrewsterErin CarmolaJanice GardnerHelen McDowellApril WallaceAction Research ProjectMarch 22 2012

Patron Confidentiality and Self Service Pick Up Holds

Four of our six group members work in a library setting; one in a public school

library and three in a public library. A member working for the Charlotte

Mecklenburg Public Library suggested we find more information about Patron Self

Service Pick Up Holds, to see if the concerns that she was feeling were shared

elsewhere. After much online research and some one on one interactions with

library staff, in libraries outside of Mecklenburg County, it became apparent to the

group the problem in question was “Patron Confidentially.” The question: How can

we target new and improved service enhancements that would be valuable

resolutions for Patron Confidentiality? The group members moved forward and

created a plan of action. We needed to investigate our problem thoroughly prior to

making any decisions about how to improve the process and enhance “Patron

Confidentiality.” The group created a list of questions that were designed to identify

protocol, problems, and solutions other libraries are using to ensure patron

confidentiality. The online research team looked at resolutions implemented in

libraries around the country. Other team members went out into the field and

conducted one on one and phone interviews, using the list of questions compiled by

the group members.  After completing our online and fieldwork the group met and

created suggestions for Service Enhancements. The group is confident that these

suggestions if implemented will be beneficial to library services and improve service

to patrons.

A Short Review of the Literature: Proposed Resolutions to Protect Library

User Confidentiality in Self Service Hold Practices

The Intellectual Freedom Committee asked the ALA Council to approve the

proposed “Resolutions to protect Library User Confidentiality in Self Service Hold

Practices” at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. The IFC and the IFC’s

Privacy Subcommittee developed the resolutions after receiving requests from

librarians and library users to examine the issue of reader privacy and self serve

holds. The resolutions included in the ALA Code of Ethics, which states “ We protect

each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with the respect to

information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or

transmitted, and the American Library Association affirms that rights of privacy are

necessary for intellectual freedom and are fundamental to the ethics and practice of

librarianship. (ALA Webpage)

Statues for patron library records and confidentiality and privacy are

determined by each State. Even though there is the ALA Code of Ethics, each library

can determine its own policies. Patrons want to feel secure when entering and

checking out materials from the library.  Confidentiality plays an extremely

Group 4: 2

important role in the public library.  If patrons no longer feel that their information

is secure, patron use would decline.  Librarians and library staff must take

responsibility to secure patron confidentiality.  While it us up to the library, ALA

offers suggestions in “What You, Your Library and Your Library Association Should

Do to Protect Privacy” (ALA Webpage):

Potential Resolutions from the American Library Association:

1. Urges all libraries to reject practices and procedures for self-service holds that

place a library user’s personally identifiable information or requested materials

in public view.

2. Urges all libraries to protect patron identity by adopting self-service hold

practices and procedures that conceal the library user’s identity and obscure the

materials being borrowed.

3. Urges the responsible bodies of ALA to work with vendors to incorporate

applications into the integrated library systems that enable libraries to conceal a

library user’s identity in a cost-effective manner.

Plan of Action and Methodology:

The objective of the Action Research Project is to have the group investigate

a problem or question in a library environment. The questions the group first

brainstormed were based on our own perspectives and upon our own library

experiences. The group asked what methods we use when approaching this

Group 4: 3

research and how do we formulate a plan of action? The group agreed that we

needed to choose a problem and move forward with a group plan of action. After

brainstorming several topics the group collaborated and selected their Library

Initiative “Self Service Patron Holds Pick-up.”

The group decided to research the problem by conducting online research

and conducting live interviews with the surrounding library systems. Each team

member was given the task of posting questions on the group blog that could be

used for the interview process. All questions were focused on Self Service Holds and

the positive and negative impacts on service and the patrons.

Once the questions were finalized, three group members conducted field

interviews, some in person and some by phone. Three group members conducted

online research. After conducting several interviews and conducting much research

it was evident to the group that “Confidentiality” was the problem in question. After

exchanging ideas, analyzing collected data, and identifying the problem, we knew

this would be worth our time. Furthermore, if the group could discover new and

creative means to protect Patron Confidentiality this could be beneficial to the

current work environment and open new doorways for the future. The group’s

improved Plan of Action and recommendations will be a clear reflection of the

group’s vision for an improved “Self Service Patron Holds Pick-up Process.

Group members suggested we have six actions that can be implemented easily to

a public library that already incorporates self-services, such as Mecklenburg Public

Library. They are as follows:

Group 4: 4

1. All patrons are prompted by the system to change their personal passwords

every six months.

2. All print materials are placed flat book up, on the Patrons Hold Shelves to protect

confidentiality of the patron.

3. In order to apply and receive a library card, the address on the valid picture I.D.

must be current.

4. Self Service Holds Pick-up areas should be strategically placed on the floor in

view of a major service point. Staff and visibility will not  serve as a 100%

preventive measure but will definitely serve as a deterrent, against browsing the

holds on the shelves and picking up holds that belong to other patrons.

5. Patrons who fail to checkout materials at the Checkout Stations will receive an

email notification reminder after failing to checkout materials on two occasions.

6. Educate patrons on Self Service Patrons Holds Pick-up Policy and Procedures

Data Collection

The basic mission of Public Libraries is to provide information to library

patrons. Group four assignments were to investigate a problem within a library. We

decided to explore Self Service Holds Pick Up. Each group member agreed that this

new service is currently on the rise in library systems across the country. It’s clearly

obvious that libraries are constantly searching for ways to provide convince and

privacy to all library users. Group four decided to gather data by conducting online

research and live interviews with library systems located in the surrounding area.

Group 4: 5

Data gathered below provides you with information that will help point out the

positive and the negative of Self Service Holds Pick Up.

Field Interview Questions and Answers:

Gaston County Regional Library:

Question: Does Gaston County Regional Library currently participate in Self

Service Hold Pick Up?

Answer: Gaston County Regional Library does not participate in Self Service

Hold Pick.

Question: Please explain why your location does not participate.

Answer: We currently do not have the shelving space to accommodate Self

Service Hold Pick Up. No funding available to renovate building.

Question: Can other family members pick up other family members holds?

Answer: The cardholder must list family members name on the account for

family members to pick up holds.

Question: Does your library charge for expired holds?

Answer: We do not charge for expired holds.

Questions: How are patrons notified when they have holds available for pick

up?

Answer: Patrons have the option of being notified by automated phone,

email or mail.

Question: How many items can a patron have on hold at one time?

Answer: Patrons can have a total of five items on hold at one time.

Question: Can patrons check out their holds at the self-check out station?

Group 4: 6

Answer: Patrons have the option of checking out their holds from the self-

check station or library staff can check out their library materials.

Cherryville Branch Library (Gaston County)

Question: Does Cherryville Library currently participate in Self Service

Hold Pick Up?

Answer: Cherryville Library is currently participating in Self Service Hold

Pick Up.

Question: What was the determining factor in your decision to participate in

the Self Service Hold Pick Up project?

Answer: The former manager wanted to make sure that all library patrons

had quick access to all library materials.

Question: Can other family members pick up other family members holds?

Answer: Cardholder must list family members name on account in order for

family member to pick up holds.

Question: Does your library charge for expired holds?

Answer: We do not charge for expired holds

Question: How are patrons notified when they have holds available for pick

up?

Answer: Patrons have the option of being notified by automated phone

system, email or mail.

Questions: How many items can a patron have on hold at one time?

Answer: Patrons can have a total of five items on hold at one time.

Group 4: 7

Question: Can patrons check out their holds from the self check out station?

Answer: Patrons have the option of checking out their holds from the

checkout station or library staff can check out their library material.

Belmont Branch Library (Gaston County)

Question: Does Belmont Library currently participate in Self Service Hold

Pick Up?

Answer: Belmont Library currently does not participate in Self Service Hold

Pick Up

Question: Please explain why your location does not participate in Self

Service Holds Pick Up.

Answer: Library Patrons privacy is a major concern. All holds are kept be

hind the desk.

Question: Can other family members pick up other family members holds?

Answer: Cardholder must list family members name on account in order for

family member to pick up holds. Adults can check out their children’s

materials without having their names on the account.

Question: Does your library charge for expired holds

Answer: We do not charge for expired holds

Question: How are patrons notified when they have holds available for pick

up?

Answer: Patrons have the option of being notified by automated phone

system, email or mail.

Group 4: 8

Questions: How many items can a patron have on hold at one time?

Answer: Patrons can have a total of five items on hold at one time.

Question: Can patrons check out their holds from the self check out station?

Answer: Patrons have the option of checking out their holds from the

checkout station or library staff can check out their library material.

Cabarrus County Library

Question: Does Cabarrus County Library currently participate in Self Service

Hold Pick Up?

Answer: Cabarrus County, Harrisburg location currently does not participate

in Self Service Holds Pick Up.

Question: Please explain why your location does not participate in Self

Service Hold Pick Up.

Answer: Currently not enough space and self-checkout is not reliable,

suggest we use Kannapolis or Concord location instead.

Question: Can other family members pick up other family members holds?

Answer: As long as the driver’s license has the current address on the head

of household or parent.

Question: How are patrons notified when they have holds available for pick

up?

Answer: phone system, email or mail.

Question: Can patrons check out their holds at the self check out station?

Group 4: 9

Answer: Patrons have the option of checking out their holds from the self

check station or library staff can check out their library materials.

Rowan County Regional Library

Question: Does Rowan County Regional Library participate in Self Service

Hold Pick Up?

Answer: Rowan County currently does not participate in Self Service Hold

Pick Up.

Question: Please explain why your location does not participate in Self

Service Hold Pick Up.

Answer: Confidentiality and library system was afraid items would go

missing and re-placement cost would increase.

Question: Can other family members pick up other family members holds?

Answer: Yes and are checked out with a staff person.

Question: How are patrons notified when they have holds available for pick

up?

Answer: Phone system, email or mail.

Question: How many items can a patron have on hold at one time?

Answer: Patrons can have a total of 10.

Public Libraries that do have Self- Service Holds Pickup:

Wake County-Only available at the main and larger branches: .ie Cameron

Village

1. Non-county residents pay $25.00 for a card

Group 4: 10

2. Patrons can sign up for a card on line but must come in to show a driver’s

license

3. Holds can be completed on line and last 4 days

4. No titles show; the books are facing backwards and are covered with only

patron name showing.

5. Someone else can pick up the hold if they have patron’s card and pin

number.

6. No internal record is kept of materials patron requests.

Durham County-Available at the main branch down town and East Regional

Branch. Other branches may be searched on line to see what services they

provide the larger branches usually are the only ones to provide this service.

1. Non-county residents and students enrolled in a non-county college

students pay $45.00 for a card

2. Patrons can sign up for a card on line but must come in to show a driver’s

license ID before any holds will be honored.

3. Holds can be completed on line,

4. No titles show; the books are facing backwards and covered with white

paper; patron’ s name is written on the paper and the only thing showing.

5. Someone else can pick up the hold if they have patron’s card and are

listed on that card.

6. No internal record is kept of materials patron requests.

Group 4: 11

Online Data Collection:

The Intellectual Freedom Committee and the IFC Privacy Subcommittee

developed the “Resolution to Protect Library User Confidentiality in Self-Service

Hold Practices” after receiving requests from librarians and library users to

examine the issue of reader privacy and self-service holds.  Prior to last month’s

ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, the Office for Intellectual Freedom

distributed the resolution for comment, and an open hearing was held during

Conference for comments.  That process led to a revision of the resolution and

what the IFC believes to be an improved version.

The core value of libraries is to promote excellent service by providing

innovative technology and accessibility of materials (cite-Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Public Library). This is compatible with providing Self-Services Patron Pick-Up

Holds.  The insights gained from the data provide a clear message to maintain a

balance between convenience and privacy. In short, our patrons trust us and

justly expect their privacy and confidentiality to be protected.  The added

convenience of Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds should not, in any way, raise

doubts of privacy and confidentiality.

The American Library Association:

1.      Urges all Libraries that implement self-service hold protect patron identify

by adopting practices and procedure that conceal the library user’s personally

identifiable information in connection with the materials being borrowed.

Group 4: 12

2.      Urges libraries, librarians and the responsible bodies of ALA to work with

vendors to incorporate applications into integrated library systems that enable

libraries to conceal a library user’s identity in a cost-effective manner.

Analysis of Data

The basic mission of the Public Library is to disseminate information to patrons.

This includes and implies that patrons should be able to access information either

independently or through the help of librarians and staff. This mission has evolved

to include the rights of patrons and their privacy. Our group mission is to include

these standards in the Self Service Patron Pick-Up Holds. The convenience this

service provides our patrons should not be limited by a lack of patron

confidentiality and privacy.

It is clear from the data collected that most libraries want to provide both

convenience and privacy to patrons. Larger libraries in our research seemed to offer

self-service patron pick up holds compared to the smaller libraries. This would

indicate that the more patrons being served the more the added convenience of self-

services are desired. Smaller libraries may feel that the potential of risk involved

with providing self-service patron pick up holds is not worth the convenience it

provides. They may view self-services as not necessary since there may not be a

long waiting line to pick up materials at the circulation desk. Libraries seem to

struggle with maintaining a balance between privacy and self-service pick up holds.

Shelving space is another reason that libraries may or may not provide self-service

Group 4: 13

patron pick up holds. Smaller libraries lack the space needed to provide this service

while larger libraries do not. Another concern mentioned in the data is the ease of

patrons to pick up another’s holds and the liability of the library to replace a lost or

stolen material. This leads to more of a financial struggle in an already struggling

economy. Smaller libraries already lack funds and space for extra security options

to prevent theft. Larger Libraries may have more funds and space for extra security

compared with smaller libraries, but it is in no way abundant. Replacing materials

already obtained is a waste of time and money. While addressing a lack of space and

funds available to small public libraries is beyond the scope of this project, a few of

the other issues can be easily addressed.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library is one of the bigger libraries in our search

and it does provide Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds. While the Charlotte-

Mecklenburg Public Library does offer the convenience of Self Service Pick-Up Holds

and make an attempt at protecting privacy and confidentiality, there are additional

improvements to further increase patron privacy. The rules for Self-Service Patron

Pick-up Holds are the person placing the holds must pick up the holds.

The core values of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library are to promote

excellent service by providing innovative technology and accessibility of materials

(cite-Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library). This is compatible with providing Self-

Services Patron Pick-Up Holds. The insights gained from the data provide a clear

message to maintain a balance between convenience and privacy. In short, our

patrons trust us and justly expect their privacy and confidentiality to be protected.

Group 4: 14

The added convenience of Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds should not, in any way,

raise doubts of privacy and confidentiality.

Plan for Future Action for

Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds

Our Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds project brought to the forefront the privacy

and confidentiality rights of our patrons. While our prime responsibility as

librarians is to provide information service to our patrons, we must be cognizant of

the statutes and laws governing their rights.

The Self-Service Patron Pick-Up Holds is a service of convenience that we would like

to provide for our busy patrons. In order to provide this service and meet the letter

of the law, there are six changes that we would make and implement in our library

in order to solve these problems.

1. All patrons are prompted by the system to change their personal passwords

every six months.

2. All print materials are placed flat book up, on the Patrons Hold Shelves to protect

confidentiality of the patron must be current.

4. Self Service Holds Pick-up areas should be strategically placed on the floor in

view of a major service point. Staff and visibility will not serve as a 100%

preventive measure but will definitely serve as a deterrent, against browsing the

holds on the shelves and picking up holds that belong to other patrons.

Group 4: 15

5. Patrons who fail to checkout materials at the Checkout Stations will receive an

email notification reminder after failing to checkout materials on two occasions.

6. Educate patrons on Self Service Patrons Holds Pick-up Policy and Procedures.

When we educate our patrons about our Self-Service Patrons Holds Pick-Up

Policy, we would have a written copy of our policy for their disposal at the time

they express interest in the program or when they apply for a library card. The

policy and procedures governing this service would also be detailed on our

library web site.

Group 4: 16