School Library Privacy Audit Checklist

Keep the checkout history off in your library management system in order to protect patron privacy in case a Freedom of Information Act request comes in.

Encourage students and teachers to become familiar with your library privacy policies through age-appropriate methods, and include links to it on each page of your library website.

1. Inventory of Collections
There was wide agreement that this CILIP ethical principle is relevant and important to school libraries; however, some respondents did not find it easy to uphold.

Few participants reported regularly discussing privacy with students, though most conversations did not relate to their role as librarian and often took place outside their formal role (e.g. during PSHE sessions). Many respondents would like more formal training on privacy issues that took into account GDPR legislation.

Hold annual inventories of your library collections. When doing this, try to take action when no staff are around so as to work uninterrupted. Use the results from these inventories as a basis for planning repairs, weeding, relocations etc.

2. Inventory of Technology
An inventory of technology is an integral component of school library media centers’ maintenance plans. An inventory includes every piece of equipment within the library – books, computers, tables, chairs, globes overhead projectors and even stuffed toys are included!

Inventory can have a dramatic impact on library workflow, so ideally scheduling it during holidays or pupil-free days would help minimize disruptions.

This paper investigates the attitudes and practices of UK school librarians towards privacy through an online survey and semi-structured interviews with six experienced librarians. Results reveal that most participants know about and support CILIP’s ethical framework for handling privacy issues; however, many feel limited by their wider school environment in applying these principles in practice.

3. Inventory of Software
Many school libraries use various software applications to manage their collections, such as an integrated library system (ILS) and library management applications (LMA). These systems track every book, audiobook, DVD or media item within the collection while enabling users to check items out from one location or another.

Interviewees reported that many libraries hire students as library assistants, giving them access to customer records and information stored online or off. Staff should receive training on how best to safeguard this sensitive data in both situations.

Create an inventory of all areas within your library that process customer data, as well as any external services used. Determine who will complete each task and set timelines for completion.

4. Inventory of Hardware
A school library catalog system is at the core of every library. It holds record information on every book, DVD, CD or tablet in their collection and links them with an individual patron ID number – essential for managing check-in/out transactions as well as notifying customers when items have gone overdue.

By gathering inventory information, the Sierra ILS can also monitor circulation trends and send alerts for overdue items. Furthermore, this data allows it to track when and how often equipment has been damaged.

Overall, participants felt confident in their ability to implement CILIP’s ethical principles in the workplace and thus protect users’ privacy. However, some respondents indicated additional training may be useful.

5. Inventory of Documents
Inventorying all items within a library – books, computers, furniture and equipment – involves performing an physical inventory count that provides an accounting of everything in its possession, from books and computers to furniture and equipment. An inventory can reveal missing or misplaced materials as well as human errors in cataloguing records as well as general condition of collection. Ideally, the entire collection should be inventoried every four or five years but often this isn’t possible and multiple smaller selective inventories occur over a longer time period are preferable.

Most participants agreed with CILIP’s ethical stance on privacy; however, being a member was linked with disagreement with statements such as: “School staff, parents and other relevant adults (other than librarians) should have regular access to students’ library records”. Furthermore, most participants thought school libraries should offer information/training about managing personal data of pupils.