Statement on Patron Privacy and Database Access

"While we recognize the added value and convenience that some readers may find in using personalization tools, which often require disclosure of personal information, registering for these must be at the sole discretion of the reader and not a condition of access, and must always be accompanied by an explanation of how personal information will be stored, used, and to whom it will be made available."

"As markets and technology change, and as new, potentially high value initiatives...mature, we expect to see increasing pressure to expose more patron data in exchange for access to digital resources. It is important for libraries to monitor these developments and redirect them in favor of patron privacy in order to safeguard our role as trusted providers in the information age."

The policy statement appears in full here. The statement has been endorsed by the following NISO library members: Stanford University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton, the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania.