Editing Public library (section)

====Privacy====
{{globalize|section|USA|date=March 2015}}
In the United States, libraries are responsible for supporting the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] and how it relates to their facilities through policies such as the American Library Association's [[Library Bill of Rights]]. The right to freedom of speech and information is significant to public libraries; one way of upholding this doctrine is to protect the [[privacy]] of all patrons that belong to a library. The concept of confidentiality is important because the First Amendment may be violated if a patron's information could possibly be shared.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 2017|title=Privacy|url=http://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacy|access-date=3 March 2021|website=American Library Association (ALA)}}</ref> Patrons may not feel free to check out certain materials for fear it would later be revealed. Members of society need to be reassured that even if they borrow controversial or embarrassing materials, their privacy will be upheld.<ref name="privacy interpretation">{{cite web|title=Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights|url=http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=132904|website=American Library Association|access-date=1 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123448/http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=%2FContentManagement%2FContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=132904|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>

Some libraries require staff to talk about confidentiality or direct the patron to literature on the subject when creating a new library card for patrons.<ref>Chmara, T. (2009). Privacy and Confidentiality Issues [electronic resource]: a guide for libraries and their lawyers/ Theresa Chmara, Chicago: American Library Association, 2009.</ref>