Privacy Policy

Cerritos Library Privacy Policy

Cerritos Library recognizes and works to ensure patrons’ right to privacy in their use of library materials and services.

Cerritos Library collects personally identifiable information as necessary to offer library services. The purpose of this policy is to provide notice to patrons of the Library’s privacy policy and procedures.

Confidentiality of Library Records 

Cerritos Library will not share patron records with third parties except as required by law. State law mandates that libraries not release library user records unless there is written consent by the user or by a court order. The law applies to the user records of minors and adults. California Government Code Section 6267 states:

“All patron use records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed by a public agency, or private actor that maintains or stores patron use records on behalf of a public agency, to any person, local agency, or state agency except as follows:

   (a) By a person acting within the scope of his or her duties within the administration of the library.

   (b) By a person authorized, in writing, by the individual to whom the records pertain, to inspect the records.

   (c) By order of the appropriate superior court.

   As used in this section, the term "patron use records" includes the following:

   (1) Any written or electronic record, that is used to identify the patron, including, but not limited to, a patron's name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address, that a library patron provides in order to become eligible to borrow or use books and other materials.

   (2) Any written record or electronic transaction that identifies a patron's borrowing information or use of library information resources, including, but not limited to, database search records, borrowing records, class records, and any other personally identifiable uses of library resources information requests, or inquiries.

   This section shall not apply to statistical reports of patron use nor to records of fines collected by the library.”

Collection and Use of Information 

Cerritos Library may collect an individual’s name, date of birth, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number or other identifying information in order to provide Library services such as lending of materials, access to computers, sending personal responses to questions, distributing Library promotional materials or maintaining mailing or e-mailing lists. Cerritos Library may also collect credit card or debit card numbers and expiration dates from patrons paying fines, reserving conference facilities or using the Print Center. Cerritos Library does not store credit card or debit card information. Cerritos Library maintains records of materials currently checked out, last patron to checkout an item, overdue materials (until returned) and fines paid. Records are retained for the shortest length of time necessary to facilitate Library operations. Cerritos Library is committed to data security and we have taken reasonable precautions to protect such information from disclosure, loss, misuse or alteration. We require that secure data networks be operated which are protected by industry standard firewalls and password protection systems. We additionally require that only authorized individuals have access to the information provided by users.

The Library does not sell, rent or otherwise distribute information to third parties except for possible uses related to the recovery of materials.

Library records may be subject to disclosure to law enforcement officials by order of the appropriate superior court or under the provisions of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act) and under some circumstances librarians may be forbidden to disclose that certain records have been requested or obtained.

Use of Personal Identification Numbers 

Cerritos Library patrons may have a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access their Cerritos Library accounts and for Print Center debit cards. The patron is responsible to maintain the confidentiality and security of the patron’s PIN. If the patron provides the password or PIN to another person, the patron will be responsible for the other person’s use of the PIN.

Cerritos Library Website 

Cerritos Library is subject to the California Public Records Act and information that is submitted to the Library through its website may be subject to disclosure as public information under these laws.

Cerritos Library tracks the usage of its website. The Library automatically collects and stores the untitled name of the domain and host from which you access the Internet; the Internet protocol address of the computer you use; the browser software you use and your operating system; the date and time you access our sites; and the Internet address of the site from which you linked directly to our website. The Library uses this information only as anonymous aggregate data to determine the number of visitors to different sections of our website and to help us make our website more useful. The Library does not use the information to track or record information about individuals.

Some Cerritos Library electronic services, such as the Library E-Catalog and subscription databases, set temporary cookies for current sessions. (Cookies are text files placed on user computers to enable customization of individual visits.) These cookies do not capture individual information and are deleted when sessions are ended. Visitors can refuse the cookie by using instructions provided in web browsers. Refusing or disabling cookies may result in an inability to access some Library services from computers.

The vendors of some of the subscription databases the Cerritos Library offers through its website collect statistics such as the names of the databases used, how often they are used and whether they are used in the Library or by remote access. The vendors provide the statistics to the Library. The data summaries do not identify individual visitors by name. Some databases, for example LearningExpress, require users to set up a username and password, which may be an email address. This is to facilitate use of the database and the information is not given to the Library.

The Library does not use cookies or tracking mechanisms that collect personally identifying information on its website or E-Catalog. The Library will cooperate with law enforcement upon court order in providing access to customer records to the extent required by State or Federal law.