[Publib] Library Security Cameras

[Judy Anderson]

Require a subpoena. It is the same as if someone came in and asked for 
records regarding a patron. Who is in the library and what they are doing or 
reading at the time should be treated the same as a patron checking out a 
book and taking it home. I would hope you would required it regardless of 
who made the request.

Of course, what your attorneys and local laws recommend/require holds sway, 
but this is as chilling as someone coming in and asking for a list of books 
someone has checked out.

It's also of concern that the lady is asking for the information rather than 
the police. It could be a scorned woman looking to see who her boyfriend was 
with or someone just trying to harass another person. I question the 
validity of her identifying them that way anyway, as far as standing up to 
the rules of evidence.


Judy Anderson, J.D.
Oregon
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>From: "Tina Albee" <AlbeeT at wpbpl.com>
>To: <publib at webjunction.org>
>CC: Barbara Storch <StorchB at wpbpl.com>,Marsha Warfield 
><WarfieldM at wpbpl.com>,Nancy Coriaty <CoriatyN at wpbpl.com>,Christopher Murray 
><MurrayC at wpbpl.com>
>Subject: [Publib] Library Security Cameras
>Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 11:28:12 -0400
>
>Our library (in Florida) has security cameras that record a number of
>public spaces in the library. Recently, we had a patron ask to view the
>tapes to identify some people to the police with whom she had an
>altercation (outside the library).
>
>
>
>Has anyone had any experience of this type of situation?
>
>
>
>We will be consulting with our law department, of course, but we would
>appreciate any input on these questions:
>
>
>
>Are library security camera tapes considered to be library records and
>subject to confidentiality?
>
>
>
>Should we treat it as a Public Records Request via the City Clerk?
>Require some type of court order?
>
>
>If we are working with the local police on a matter of library security
>would this be somehow different -- or would we need to require the same
>formal procedure as in the above paragraph to let them see the tapes to
>help us?
>
>
>Thanks for any light you can shed.
>
>
>
>Tina Maura Albee
>
>Collection Development Coordinator
>
>West Palm Beach Public Library
>
>West Palm Beach, FL 33401
>
>albeet at wpbpl.com
>
>(561)868-7701

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