Privacy and Confidentiality: using scenarios to teach your staff about patrons' rights

Abstract

Every US state and the District of Columbia has a law on the books that protects a borrower's privacy, both an ethical and legal obligation of the Library. In addition, FERPA further restricts access to users' records. Getting the message across to staff can be a challenge especially if you employ students or volunteers who may not share your strongly held sense of professional responsibility. Using scenarios or mini-case studies based on real-life experiences to generate discussion and expand the scope of their understanding can be a very effective way to transmit the message. This presentation will outline the method used at Penn State University Libraries and engage the audience in discussion of some of the scenarios. , , SCENARIO 1: A faculty member asks if a student in her class has a book checked out. She would like to put it on course reserve but she has heard from other class members that this student has the book. , She would like to confront the student about withholding the book and preventing others in the class from reading the required material, an alleged violation of The University's Code of Conduct. , What should the staff member do?,