[CALIBK12] Patron History

[Heidi Snively]

(Remember signing our names on library cards?  For the life of the card it was there for all the world to see, that I checked out "Forever Amber.")
 
I strongly believe children have the same reading rights under the first amendment as adults, and I do appreciate your district taking the high road on privacy rights.  
 
Even so, I used the patron history function just recently to help a student replicate her lost reading log.  She was over-the-moon grateful because she was in the running for the most pages read award, and it was a close race to the top.  
 
I haven't yet had to use it to determine possible responsibility for damage, but I think that would be a legitimate use of the function.
 
This discussion came up last year regarding what should a librarian do when he or she notices a student repeatedly checking out "troubling" material.  I don't know if it any "official" conclusions were drawn.  In my opinion, caring about another human being enough to reach out and help trumps privacy.  If I were in that situation, you bet I would stick by big nose into their business and try to help; and I hope someone would care enough to help one of my sons, should the need arise.  Better to be embarrassed than to miss a chance to prevent a tragedy.
 
p.s. The student I helped did win the reading award. 
 
Heidi Snively
Library Media Specialist
Grand View Elementary School
Manhattan Beach Unified School District
 
hsnively at manhattan.k12.ca.us
310-546-8022 x5404
 
http://www.grandviewlibrary.info/ <http://www.grandviewlibrary.info/> 
 

________________________________

From: ode2living at aol.com [mailto:ode2living at aol.com]
Sent: Sun 9/2/2007 10:00 PM
To: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: [CALIBK12] Patron History



Hello. All of the libraries in my district began using Destiny last 
week. With the new program, our assistant superintendent did not want 
the library staff to be able to view the patron history, stating 
students' privacy, so she had the IT dept turn it off. The LMTs are 
planning on talking to her about this at our next meeting because we 
are very concerned about the implications this would have at the 
school level vs. public. We use this information to prove to students 
and parents that a student has checked out a book. We compare the 
date a book was checked out to a student's schedule from Aeries and 
their attendance on that date. When this is presented, it puts all 
disputes to a halt. Without this, we will have no leg on which to stand.

So, I was wondering:

1. Are you able to view your patron history? How valuable do you find 
it to be? For what purposes do you use it other than the reason above?
2. What is CSLA's stance on this? I'm familiar with ALA's, but school 
libraries have unique issues that public/academic don't have.
3. If you have Destiny, do you know if patron history can be turned 
on for the textbook side and not the library side? Ideally, we want 
BOTH because we run into this same situations with library books as 
well when classes come in, but the textbook side is the most crucial.

TIA! We appreciate it.

Connie Joyce
Library Media Teacher
Rancho Cucamonga High School
Rancho Cucamonga, CA

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