Librarians’ Attitudes Regarding Information and Internet Privacy

This article reports findings from a new survey measuring librarians’ views on privacy rights and protecting library users’ privacy. The study, which builds on a 2008 American Library Association survey assessing librarians’ attitudes about privacy, provides important data that will help privacy advocates evaluate the state of privacy in the United States and libraries’ role in protecting library users’ privacy. Overall, the results indicate a high level of concern among respondents over information privacy and a desire to control access and use of personal information, but they also reflect some shifts in privacy attitudes compared to the 2008 study. Implications are discussed for future advocacy and outreach by the American Library Association and related advocacy and educational groups.