Protecting Patron Privacy: A LITA Guide. Edited by Bobbi Newman and Bonnie Tijerina. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017. 142 p. $45.00 paperback (ISBN 978-1-4422-69705); $90.00 hardback (ISBN 978-1-4422-6969-9); $42.00 e-book (ISBN 978-1-4422-6971-2).

Today’s world is consumed with using technology at an instant. Often this means that the desire to use technology immediately takes priority over taking the time to understand how to protect yourself while using mobile devices and even the internet. Protecting Patron Privacy is a well-developed guide that takes the reader through learning about technological privacy from the beginning. It serves as a history of the topic, while also presenting real-world challenges that occur in libraries.

Keeping patron information private is a test about which librarians constantly worry. There are many ways that identifying information could be communicated between library websites, catalogs, integrated library systems (ILS), and databases. Several of the chapter authors emphasize the importance of being aware of what these technologies ask of both patrons and librarians, and that not all responsibility lies with the librarian.

The author(s) of each chapter bring their own perspective to the common problem of patron privacy. Although the book is not broken into sections, the chapters are arranged in a way that provides background information about the history of patron privacy, as well as some relevant privacy laws in the first half of the book. Readers should not be frightened away by the heaviness of the beginning of the book. The remainder of the book focuses on areas where privacy could be a problem and practical case studies of how different libraries have approached training staff and teaching patrons about internet and mobile device safety. Although these last few chapters are not as difficult to read they are not any less important, and each chapter brings its own light to a topic that is at the core of librarianship values.

Understanding contracts between libraries and third-party vendors consumes much of the first half of the book. Several of the authors touched upon the different ways patron privacy could be compromised through linking patron data from the ILS to the third-party vendors. The authors also make suggestions of how to avoid these problems by making sure the contracts are extremely clear to both parties.

A common theme throughout several chapters is the effort to stay current with technology. Contrary to what some may think, library staff are not all-knowing and the quick paced changing of the technology landscape can make it quite difficult to make sure all staff are up-to-date in both knowledge and training. Small libraries can struggle to provide current technology because of small budgets. This presents another challenge for technology class teachers who do not have the teaching tools on their library computers to match those that patrons may have at home.

Melissa Morrone from the Brooklyn Public Library wrote about her library’s data privacy project which included a pair of three-hour workshops to educate staff about different aspects of privacy. Morrone wrote, “I’m sensitive to what often happens here, which is that there’s a major training initiative that comes and goes with little follow up” (113). This quote brings together several aspects of the book. Libraries often act with good intentions to educate their communities while also protecting their rights. The staff need the support to adequately inform themselves about current trends to help patrons, but often these initial trainings are not provided frequently enough for staff to keep the material fresh in their minds, nor are changes to the technology taught quickly to make sure staff are prepared to handle every question from patrons.

This book has something for beginners just starting their journey to understanding patron privacy rules and regulations, as well as those who may want to brush up on their knowledge. Those that are new to the topic will find comfort in the amount of history provided, the clear guidelines written by the American Library Association for libraries to follow, and the areas still being developed, such as security officers wearing body cameras. Even those familiar with the technology may find new considerations to think about or gain an understanding of what some of your coworkers need to consider. Protecting Patron Privacy logically presents what acquisitions or electronic resource librarians need to be aware of when negotiating contracts with vendors that provide materials, databases, and more. It also thoroughly covers the needs of reference and instruction staff who need to understand the inner workings of the technology to teach their patrons and students how to best use the programs. Though the book would likely be beneficial to many readers, it would best benefit early career librarians in acquisitions, electronic resources, reference, and instruction areas.—Brittney (Buckland) Bergholm, (brittney.buckland@gmail.com), Merrimack Public Library, Merrimack, New Hampshire