By-Exceptions

=State Laws on the Confidentiality of Library Records=

Exceptions to State Laws
Table 3: Exceptions to State Laws


 * **State** || **User Consent** || **Parent or Guardian** || **Court Order (C.O.),** **Subpoena (S), Required by Law (L), or Other** || **Individual has Access to Her/His Records** || **Internal Use of the Library** || **Statistical Reports Permitted** || **Overdue Materials, Fines, or Notices** ||
 * Alabama ||  || Yes ||   ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * Alaska ||  || Yes || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Arizona || Yes ||  || C.O. / L ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Arkansas || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   ||   || Yes || Yes ||
 * California || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes || Yes || Yes ||
 * Colorado || Yes || Yes || C.O. / S / L || Yes || Yes ||  ||   ||
 * Connecticut || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * Delaware ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * District of Columbia || Yes ||  || C.O. / S ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Florida ||  || Yes || C.O. / S || Yes ||   || Yes || Yes ||
 * Georgia || Yes || Yes || C.O. / S ||  || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Hawaii ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Yes ||
 * Idaho ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Illinois ||  ||   || C.O. / O (limited access) ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||
 * Indiana ||  ||   || C.O. / L ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Iowa ||  ||   || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Kansas ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||
 * Kentucky ||  ||   || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Louisiana || Yes || Yes || C.O. ||  || Yes ||   || Yes ||
 * Maine || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Maryland ||  ||   ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Massachusetts ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Michigan || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||
 * Minnesota ||  ||   || C.O. ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Mississippi || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes || Yes || Yes ||
 * Missouri || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * Montana || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   ||   || Yes || Yes ||
 * Nebraska ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Nevada ||  ||   || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * New Hampshire || Yes ||  || C.O. / S / L ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * New Jersey || Yes ||  || C.O. / S ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * New Mexico || Yes || Yes || C.O. ||  || Yes ||   || Yes ||
 * New York || Yes ||  || C.O. / S / L ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * North Carolina || Yes ||  || C.O. / S / L ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * North Dakota ||  ||   || C.O. / S ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Ohio || Yes || Yes || C.O. / S ||  || Yes || Yes || Yes ||
 * Okhahoma || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Oregon ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Pennsylvania ||  ||   || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Rhode Island ||  ||   ||   ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * South Carolina || Yes ||  || C.O. / S (Probably) ||   || Yes || Yes ||   ||
 * South Dakota ||  || Yes || C.O. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Tennessee || Yes ||  || C.O. ||   || Yes ||   || Yes ||
 * Texas ||  ||   || C.O. / S || Yes || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Utah ||  || Yes || C.O. / S || Yes ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Vermont ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Virginia ||  || Yes ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Washington ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||
 * West Virginia || Yes ||  || C.O. / S ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Wisconsin || Yes || Yes || C.O. / O ||  || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * Wyoming ||  || Yes ||   ||   || Yes ||   ||   ||
 * **State** || **User Consent** || **Parent or Guardian** || **Court Order (C.O.), Subpoena (S), Required by Law (L)**, **or Other (O)** || **Individual has Access to Her/His Records** || **Internal Use of the Library** || **Statistical Reports Permitted** || **Overdue Materials, Fines, or Notices** ||

User Consent = patron gives permission for another individual to view her/his records

Parent or Guardian = law allow parents or guardians to access records of their minor children

Court Order (C.O.), Subpoena (S), or Required by Law (L) = authorizes the use of protected library records as evidence or for law enforcement purposes There are different types of court orders. Some states may limit court orders to a particular type (e.g., Arkansas mentions only search warrants).

Individual has Access to Her/His Records = to determine what information is held on the individual and to correct inaccuracies

Internal Use of the Library = allows data to be used by library personnel to ensure proper functioning of the library

Statistical Reports Permitted = library can release aggregated data with all identifying information removed

Overdue Materials, Fines, or Notices = library can release data to individuals, law enforcement personnel, or to businesses working with the library to accomplish these purposes

For questions or comments regarding this page, please contact Paul Neuhaus, Santa Clara University, at pneuhaus@scu.edu. Page created June, 2005. Last updated May 5, 2008.