Open access literature in libraries: principles and practices

Managing data for patron privacy focuses primarily on ‘what’ and ‘why’ of data – what data is being collected, and why – rather than the ‘how’ in which that data is stored. While the latter is important, the authors seek to present the antithesis of the approach favoured by search engine and social media behemoths – to collect and manage only that data which is appropriate and necessary, rather than vacuuming the world’s data exhaust in the hope it will one day be useful. The concept of ‘patron data’ tends to focus on data collected from the patron as they interact with library technology – the searches performed on public access computers, and the items borrowed from the collection. As such, data privacy discussions lend themselves especially well to patrons of public libraries–who engagewith their library for allmanner of reasons, some relating to very sensitive matters. However, Briney and Yoose increase the accessibility of their work by addressing the concept of patron privacy from an additional angle – the privacy of the patrons themselves as they enter and use the library’s physical space. Whether the patron’s movements are captured by security cameras, and the situation of public access computers within the library, are two of many ways the policies of each individual library – whether public, academic, school, or special – impacts how patrons interact with its spaces and services. Presented at the end of each chapter, fictional case studies are used to serve as an opportunity to reinforce the practical application of various data management theories, from both public and academic library perspectives. Briney and Yoose’s inherent North American focus (encapsulated in its early mention of the US PATRIOT Act) may initially be interpreted as a limitation; however subsequent chapters remind the reader that data rarely shares the same geographical bounds as the patron who generates it, or the library which collects it – the pertinence of this point being well-highlighted where vendors are concerned. Data is the new oil – like oil it holds value, and like oil, its mishandling can lead to damaging and hard-to-resolve situations.Managing Data for Patron Privacy offers an array of strategies to mitigate such situations, while inviting an intriguing question – can the library still be considered a private space?