Privacy at the UTS Library
Privacy Statement
The UTS Library complies with the UTS Privacy Management Plan approved by Council resolution number COU/00/66 (currently under review).
The University Library respects the privacy of clients in compliance with federal and state laws and professional standards. The UTS Library will not reveal the identities of individual clients nor reveal the information sources or services they consult unless required by law. The UTS Library Privacy Management Plan applies to all resources regardless of their format or means of delivery as well as to all UTS Library services.
Privacy Management Plan
Information collected by the UTS Library
The UTS Library's key functions are defined under the UTS Privacy Management Plan as:
'Management and provision of UTS Library and information services'.
Under these key functions, the UTS Library's main use of personal information is:
- Identification of clients
- Assessment of clients' eligibility to use UTS Library resources
The University Library respects the privacy of clients in compliance with federal and state laws and professional standards. The UTS Library will not reveal the identities of individual clients nor reveal the information sources or services they consult unless required by law. This Code applies to all resources regardless of their format or means of delivery as well as to all UTS Library services.
The UTS Library from time to time may aggregate and retain user data for a reasonable period of time in order to investigate the use or value of resources, facilities and services. It will, however, neither collect nor retain information identifying individuals except during the period when and only for the purpose that such record is necessary to furnish a specific service (for example, lending a book, ordering a report, recording user service preferences, or for internal service evaluation).
Data on individuals will not be shared with third parties unless required by law. Other service providers on campus and off campus may gather data on non-library services not covered by this user privacy Code.
Circulation
The privacy of all borrowers of UTS Library materials shall be respected. The Libraries will not reveal the names of individual borrowers nor reveal what items are, or have been, checked out to or requested by any individual.
Collection Development and Resource Management
Comments, purchase recommendations, gifts-in-kind, and special requests from clients make an important contribution to building and shaping the Library's collections. Purchase, transfer, and related collection management requests linked to individual clients are confidential reader information and not shared outside the Library without permission. Within the Library, user names are temporarily attached to internal records and shared among relevant staff to facilitate notification of UTS Library actions and follow-through.
Contracts and Licenses for Information Resources
The UTS Library expects information service providers to follow privacy Code standards in the performance of products they license, lease or sell to the Library consistent with those of the Library. The Library will seek to ensure that contracts, licenses, agreements and arrangements for information resources include explicit assurance that the product and its vendor, as standard practice, protects the identity of individual clients and the information they use. This expectation does not apply to information resources to which the Library merely links without a license or other formal relationship.
To provide additional personalised services (for example, help in using resources or profiling user interests for subsequent notification) service providers may require clients to identify themselves. Such identification will be only at the user's discretion and will require the user to follow clearly indicated procedures before the service is activated. No user identification will be required by service providers simply to access the information covered by the Library's license agreement with that service provider. The service provider may not sell, lease, or loan information identifying individual clients, individual user workstations, or the information they use to third parties unless authorised in advance by each individual user. Service providers may aggregate and retain information with personal identifiers removed, in order to investigate the use or value of resources and services.
Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery
Requests for interlibrary loan and document delivery services are confidential. Information about requests is shared in some cases with other UTS Library staff for collection development purposes; it remains confidential within the UTS Library. Documentation of requests may be retained as necessary for the UTS Library to comply with auditing, copyright or other regulations.
UTS Library Surveys and Assessments
The UTS Library may obtain information and data through surveys (group or individual interviews or other means) assessing services, collections, facilities, resources, etc., or in support of research related to library and information services. This information and data is confidential and will not be shared without permission except in aggregations which protect the privacy of individual participants.
Publicly Accessible Digital Information Systems
The UTS Library's computer-based access systems frequently track or "log" the actions performed by clients of those systems. Transaction level logging that can be tied to individuals may be kept intact for a limited period of time for trouble-shooting and problem resolution related to system functions and service transactions. During the period this information is retained, it is held in confidence and is not shared with third parties unless required by law.
When the information is no longer useful, by a reasonable standard, for resolving problems, the UTS Library may aggregate and retain data with personal identifiers removed, in order to investigate the use or value of resources and services. Information regarding individual identities (or the source of the transaction) will be removed. Original transaction logging information that has been processed in this way will be destroyed. Information is retained on backup tapes but personal information can only accessed if required to do so by law and is kept for a maximum period of one year.
Reference/Research Consultations
Reference and research consultation services are confidential and information about individuals using these services will not be shared outside the UTS Library. UTS Library staff will not reveal the identity of UTS Library clients, the nature of their inquiries, nor the information or sources they consult outside the UTS Library. Data with personal identifiers removed about reference or research consultations may be recorded for management or assessment purposes or to compile information on frequently asked questions.
Access Gates
Personal information collected by the UTS Library or with the UTS Library's authority is done so for a purpose that is lawful and directly related to the function of the University. This applies to the information collected at the Access Gates.
The Access Gates are necessary for the security, safety and equitable access of clients and staff to the UTS Library's resources.
Any personal information collected via entering through the Access Gates is not used for any purpose other than that for which it is collected.
Information collected via entry through the Access Gates is maintained by UTS Security and the privacy issues relating to this data is the responsibility of UTS Security.
The relevance and accuracy of information is guaranteed by the information to which ID cards link (ie personal records stored elsewhere in the University or UTS Library).
Requests for any information collected at the access gates will be denied to external persons and/or organisations, unless permitted and required by law.
Data Storage
The UTS Library has security measures in place to protect against loss, misuse and alteration of information under our control. However, no system is 100% secure. We meet legislative requirements and follow industry best practice to ensure the security of information.
