Technology and privacy in the academic library
| Date | 01 December 2002 |
| Published date | 01 December 2002 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520210452691 |
| Pages | 366-374 |
| Author | Aimee Fifarek |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Technology and privacy
in the academic library
Aimee Fifarek
Access to digitised information of all kinds has
been a major boon to academic libraries. We
and our patrons now have access to more
accurate and up to date information than ever
before. But electronic information has also
brought us a new host of problems: higher
costs than traditional print resources, the
confusing array of multiple access points for
various publishers and formats, and an
increasing dependence on technology which
constantly needs to be upgraded (and paid
for).
Libraries are under ever-increasing pressure
to maximise our technological capabilities in
order to keep up with the publishers' offerings
and academic demands. Because of this, we
often implement technology that we have not
thoroughly investigated or understood. In our
rush to give our patrons the best, our
ignorance about the technological
mechanisms we implement increases and our
ability to protect the privacy of our patrons
decreases.
The simple fact that technology exists in
our libraries means that we gather personal
information on patrons almost
unintentionally. We get better computers and
bigger servers, and we must install video
cameras to prevent them from being stolen.
We host Web sites and acquire better
integrated library systems, and the logs from
these systems become central repositories of
patron information seeking practices. Put it
all together, and we have all of the elements
necessary for providing detailed profiles of
individual patrons impossible in the era of
print information.
Technology, and academic libraries'
adoption of it, has far outpaced the ability of
the US legal system's ability to cope with its
consequences. Former American Library
Association President John Berry, in his
article ``Digital democracy: not yet!'' (Berry,
2000) summarised this sentiment by saying,
``We have neglected deeper issues that arise
from the impact of converting information to
digitised, online formats. We have not built
protections for such fundamental rights as
those to free expression, privacy, and freedom
from being invaded, monitored, or watched''.
If this was true at the time John Berry wrote
his article, it is doubly true now. Since the
terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, a
The author
Aimee Fifarek is the Systems Librarian and LAN
Administrator for the LSU Libraries at Louisiana State
University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Keywords
Privacy, Technology, Academic libraries, Information,
Policy, USA
Abstract
Adoption of technology in academic libraries sets up
circumstances for collection of personal patron
information and records of patron information seeking
behaviour not possible in the pre-digital library. Even if
collected unintentionally, this information may then be
seized by law enforcement officials for criminal
investigations. Passage of the USA PATRIOT Act has
lowered the standards for obtaining search warrants that
had previously been set by American legal precedent. This
article describes potential situations where patron privacy
can be endangered by the presence of information
technology and how librarians can protect patron
information and prepare patrons for safe information
seeking in the online world.
Electronic access
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Refereed article received 7 August 2002
Approved for publication 13 August 2002
366
Online Information Review
Volume 26 .Number 6 .2002 .pp. 366±374
#MCB UP Limited .ISSN 1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/14684520210452691
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