Vermont Library Laws

Vermont Statutes: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/statutes2.htm

State Library Association: Vermont Library Association

Security Breach Notification Law : Vt. Stat. tit. 9 § 2430 et seq.

Data Disposal Law: 9 Vt. Stat. Ann. §2445

Library Records Privacy

The Vermont Statutes Online Title 1: General Provisions Chapter 5: Common Law; General Rights 317. Definitions; public agency; public records and documents

§ 317. Definitions; public agency; public records and documents

(a) As used in this subchapter, "public agency" or "agency" means any agency, board, department, commission, committee, branch, instrumentality, or authority of the state or any agency, board, committee, department, branch, instrumentality, commission, or authority of any political subdivision of the state.

(b) As used in this subchapter, "public record" or "public document" means any written or recorded information, regardless of physical form or characteristics, which is produced or acquired in the course of public agency business. Individual salaries and benefits of and salary schedules relating to elected or appointed officials and employees of public agencies shall not be exempt from public inspection and copying.

(c) The following public records are exempt from public inspection and copying:

. . .

(19) records relating to the identity of library patrons or the identity of library patrons in regard to library patron registration records and patron transaction records in accordance with chapter 4 of Title 22;

The Vermont Statutes Online Title 22: Libraries, History, and Information Technology Chapter 4: Library Patron Records

§ 171. Definitions As used in this chapter:

(1) "Library" means a public library as defined in subdivision 101(2) of this title, any college, university, or school library, or any other library or archive that is open on a regular basis and makes available on site, or circulates, materials to the public without a fee.

(2) "Patron registration records" means library records that contain information a library patron must provide in order to be eligible for borrowing privileges at a library.

(3) "Patron transaction records" means library records that contain names or other personal identifying information that discloses an individual’s activities within a library, including the materials that have been viewed in print or electronic form, research questions posed, materials in any format that the patron has requested through interlibrary loan or has borrowed, or any other library service or consultation that the patron has requested. (Added 2007, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

§ 172. Library record confidentiality; exemptions

(a) A library’s patron registration records and patron transaction records shall remain confidential.

(b) Unless authorized by other provisions of law, the library’s officers, employees, and volunteers shall not disclose the records except:

(1) with the written permission of the library patron to whom the records pertain;

(2) to officers, employees, volunteers, and agents of the library to the extent necessary for library administration purposes;

(3) in response to an authorized judicial order or warrant directing disclosure;

(4) to custodial parents or guardians of patrons under age 16;

(5) to the custodial parents or guardians of a student, in accordance with the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, by the library at the school the student attends.

(c) Statistical records pertaining to the patronage, circulation activities, and use of any service or consultation the library provides, provided that they do not contain the names of patrons or any other personally identifying information, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (Added 2007, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

§ 173. Right of patron action

Any person whose confidential patron registration records or patron transaction records have been disclosed, except as provided in this chapter, is authorized to bring a civil action against the library that disclosed the records. (Added 2007, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)