Security Camera Policy

Security Camera Policy

Lake County Public Library (LCPL) maintains security cameras throughout the library, community rooms, and outside the building to help create and maintain a safe environment for all patrons and staff. These cameras are in place to assist staff in identifying violations of LCPL’s Patron Behavior Policy. LCPL’s security cameras will be used only for the protection and safety of library visitors, employees, assets, and property.

Public Notice of Cameras

Signage regarding LCPL’s usage of cameras will always be posted at the library entrance to inform the public that security cameras are in use.

Camera locations

Cameras may be installed in locations where individuals lack a reasonable expectation of privacy. Examples include common areas of the Library such as entrances, near book and media collections, public seating areas, public computers, and areas prone to theft or misconduct.

Cameras will not be installed in areas of the Library where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms or private offices. Cameras will not be positioned to identify a person’s reading, viewing, or listening activities in the Library.

Retention of recorded data

Recorded data will be retained for 7 days except for still shots or selected clips relating to specific incidents and investigations. These pieces of recorded data may be kept until an investigation is closed.

Access to recorded data and patron privacy

Recorded data are not to be used directly or indirectly to identify the activities of individual Library patrons except as viewed in relation to a specific event or suspected criminal activity, suspected violation of Library policy, or incidents where there is reasonable basis to believe a claim may be made against the Library for civil liability. Only the following people may have access to recorded data:

• Library Director and supervisors within the library;

• Law enforcement with a subpoena or court order.

Confidentiality and privacy issues prohibit a person from the general public from viewing recordings that contain patron information. If a person wishes to review recorded data then he or she must file a police report.