West Florida Public Libraries (WFPL) is committed to protecting your personal information, including your use of library resources and services. The policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal data.

Information We Collect 

WFPL collects personal information to allow patrons to use Library resources (e.g. borrowing books, reserving meeting rooms, etc.). This registration information is necessary to conduct library business, and includes your legal name, residential address, phone number, date of birth, and driver license or IDs as stated in the Circulation Policy. This Registration information required by the Library is confidential and exempt from public records requests. 

Patrons have the option to activate the “Loan History” feature on their account. A The Loan History lists the items checked out once activated. Patrons may deactivate option at any time, which will stop further additions to the Loan History list. The Library does not retain loan history records once the feature is deactivated, except for items currently checked out. Records of other library use (e.g. accruals of fines, payments made, etc.) are maintained only for statistical purposes or to facilitate the recovery of materials or fees. 

Protecting Information About You 

Personal information requested by WFPL and your use of Library services are protected by Florida Statute 257.261 According to this statute, personal data may be shared with third parties for the purpose of collecting materials, fines, or fees owed to 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 note that activating the Loan History option creates a record that is accessible by both of the above-mentioned exceptions to the general privacy of your record. WFPL will not sell, lease, or share personal information with outside parties except as outlined above or unless required by law. 

Miscellaneous Records 

Correspondence with WFPL and reports of incidents at the Library are considered public records under Florida Statute 119.011(11).

E-mail Communications with the Library 

E-mail communications with WFPL and the e-mail addresses associated with those communications are public records and subject to disclosure. 

As required by Florida Statute 668.6076, WFPL posts the following notice on our website and all outgoing Library emails:

 “Florida has a very broad public records law.  Under Florida law, both the content or emails, email addresses and IP addresses are public records.  If you do not want the content of your email, your email address, or your IP address released in a response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity.  Instead, contact this office by phone or in person.”   

Reviewed and approved on December 16, 2024, by the West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance.