Recently in policies & procedures Category

John DeBacher from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recently posted an article on Pandemic Planning for Wisconsin Public Libraries. The page offers some good tips on how to shape a policy for your library and stresses the fact that libraries can play a critical role in distributing information and helping to keep the public informed. The article also links to http://pandemic.wi.gov/, Wisconsin's Pandemic Flu Resource and additional resources from the DPI on Flu Outbreak and Pandemic Measures.

> contributed by Beth

I've done a lot of research in the past about whether or not you should get permission from people you are taking photos of in your library. I could never find a definitive answer, as most responses I could find would be on one end of the spectrum or the other or would advise you to contact your local attorney for guidance. It seemed to come down to making a local library policy based on your community's comfort level and sticking with it.

Today I came across an article that provides more information and some good guidance you should consider. Read Laws for Using Photos You Take at Your Library by Bryan Carson for help with shaping a policy at your library.

> contributed by Beth

If you haven't seen the Wisconsin Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Public Library Administration and Governance web page, you'll want to be sure to check it out. The page provides an index to relevant articles and to questions from library trustees that have been answered in issues of Channel, the bimonthly DLTCL newsletter. I frequently get questions from library directors that I know have been addressed in Channel, but it's always been difficult to find the specific articles. Now it's not! Thanks to John DeBacher, DLTCL Public Library Administration Consultant, for putting together this page.

>> contributed by Rick

Joan Bernstein wrote a thought-provoking article for Computers in Libraries (June 07) about patron privacy and the importance of library policies. No library expects to become involved in a privacy challenge but the reality is we must be prepared for one. Ms. Bernstein uses an experience from her library to make us think about the roles staff training, communication, record retention, and privacy policy play in handling tough situations.

Does your library have a privacy policy and procedures for handling privacy issues? Is staff trained on both? What does the law require? A good starting place for developing policies and answering questions related to WI law is the WI DPI’s FAQ on Public Library Administration and Governance that Rick mentioned above.

>> contributed by Leslie