[Libs-Or] Email Notification Complaint

[Diedre Conkling]

Like most of you, we are trying very hard to secure patron information and
to follow the new FCC regulations (not yet in affect) and state laws related
to identity theft.  (Manystates have similar identity theft laws.)  I think
these are the laws more related to this question than the Oregon library
statutes, since I think the library statues apply differently to each
library in Oregon depending on that library's own policies.

We do send out email notifications at this time that include name and
address since they replicate our snail mail notifications for holds and
overdue items.  The notifications are sent out by our computer consortium
with a text agreed upon by all of our libraries.  We are currently in the
process of hiring a new system administrator so it is taking us more time to
find out, than normal, if we can do a different kind of message for email
messages than the message we use for snail mail.

Patrons are not required to get notices by email.  It is a personal choice.
However, we would prefer that most of them would use email since it costs us
less.

*My questions*:  Have any of you dealt with this problem?  Do you send out
different notifications through email than you do through snail mail?  I
won't ask you the legal questions but if any of you know more about whether
or not this kind of notification is violating any laws we would like to get
that information as well.

-------------------------

*This is the message we have received twice:
*

Hi,
I noticed that the Library's Email Notifications contain the full name and
address of patrons along with the library materials ordered. Emails are not
considered secure communication and in so, expose private information
therefore violating the Library's Privacy Policy as well as Oregon Revised
Statute 192.502(23). These state that the Library will not disclose:
• circulation records, showing use of specific library material by a named
person: or
• name of a library patron together with the address, telephone number, or
e-mail
address of that patron.
At minimum, please consider removing the residential address of the patron
inside emails. Are there any plans to address this concern?
Thank you,
A concerned patron.


-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Work phone & fax:  541-265-3066
Work email:  diedre at beachbooks.org
Home email:  diedre08 at gmail.com
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