Category: Library Vendors and Privacy
Prioritizing Intellectual Freedom & Privacy: Your Itinerary for ALA Annual 2023
Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or new to ALA Annual, we encourage you to prioritize the many events focusing on intellectual freedom and library privacy. In an era marked by rising censorship and attempts to limit intellectual freedom, it’s more crucial than ever for library workers to champion these fundamental principles of a healthy democracy.
Lynda’s Privacy Problem
By: guest contributor Samantha Lee – LyndaLibrary, soon to be LinkedIn Learning, is planning a platform update that would require library patrons to create LinkedIn accounts to access the resources, rightly prompting privacy concerns amongst Connecticut librarians. By calling attention to the privacy concerns on Lynda/LinkedIn, librarians can help to create a safer environment for patrons and their privacy.
Privacy v. Personalized Services in Libraries
Society has evolved to expect personalized recommendations from providers like Amazon and Netflix. (Who doesn’t love the suggestions for what to read or watch next, right?) I think most of us have even gotten used to seeing personalized advertising in our Facebook feeds or Google ads. However, a Library Journal article on OCLC Wise points out that this level of personalization requires data collection. Data collection by libraries can risk compromising patron privacy.
Piwik, An alternative to Google Analytics
Libraries can uphold the tradition of protecting patron privacy by considering alternative web analytics tools instead of using Google Analytics.
Data Exchange and the Art of Iterating Security Checkups
Privacy Tech: Actions that libraries can take to improve the security of data exchanges between ILSs, discovery interfaces and networks.
Negotiating Contracts with Vendors for Privacy
Assuring patron privacy requires working with vendors to implement key privacy safeguards and using contracts to assure practices that protect user privacy.