West Florida Public Libraries is committed to protecting your personal information, including your use of Library resources or services. The policy outlined below addresses some specific privacy concerns. 

Information We Collect 

The Library collects certain personal information for the purpose of allowing patrons to use Library resources (e.g. borrowing books, reserving meeting rooms, etc.). This registration information is what we believe is necessary or useful to conduct Library business, and includes legal name, address of residence, phone number, email address, date of birth, and driver license or other government issued ID. Registration information required by the Library is confidential and exempt from public records requests. 

Patrons may, at their own discretion, choose to activate the “Loan History” option online. A Loan History lists the items that have been checked out to the account since activating the Loan History option. Patrons may deactivate the Loan History option in the same way, which stops further additions to the Loan History list. Except for items currently checked out to the account, Loan History information is not kept by the Library. Records of other Library use (e.g. accruals of fines, payments made, etc.) are maintained only for statistical purposes or for the business purpose of recovering materials or fees. 

Protecting Information About You 

Personal information requested by the Library and information regarding a patron’s use of the Library is protected by Florida Statute 257.261  According to this statute this information may be turned over to a third party for the purpose of collecting materials, fines, or fees owed the Library. This information is also subject to the provisions of Section 215 the USA PATRIOT Act, which provides the federal government with the ability to request such records. 

Please be aware that choosing to activate the Loan History option for your account creates a record that is accessible by both of the above-mentioned exceptions to the general privacy of your record. The Library will not sell, lease, or otherwise share any personal information to outside parties except as outlined above or unless required by law. 

Miscellaneous Records 

Correspondence with the Library and reports of incidents at the Library are considered public records as set forth in subsection 119.011(11) of the Florida Statutes. 

E-mail Communications with the Library 

E-mail addresses gathered as part of your Library registration are confidential and exempt from public record requests as set forth in subsection 257.261(1) of the Florida Statutes. E-mail communications with the Library and the e-mail addresses associated with those communications are public records. 

Visitors to our website should be aware that the Library complies with the following required posting to our website. 

668.6076 Public records status of e-mail addresses; agency website notice.--Any agency, as defined in s. 119.011, or legislative entity that operates a website and uses electronic mail shall post the following statement in a conspicuous location on its website: 

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. 

Additionally, the Library includes the above message in all outgoing email. 

Reviewed and approved on December 11, 2023 by the West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance.