Access to Public Records and Patron Confidentiality Policy

Akron Carnegie Public Library

Policy on Access to Public Records and Patron Confidentiality

1. Purpose & Authority

The Board of Trustees of the Akron Carnegie Public Library recognizes the right of the public to access information regarding the governance, operations, and administration of the library. In accordance with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (APRA), IC § 5-14-3, all library records are presumed public unless exempted by state or federal law. Concurrently, the library is legally and ethically bound to protect the confidentiality of its patrons’ registration and circulation history.

2. Submission of Public Record Requests

To ensure efficiency and accuracy, the library outlines the following guidelines for processing public record requests:

3. Response Timelines & Availability

The library will handle all requests promptly while maintaining regular daily operations.

• Acknowledgment: The library will acknowledge receipt of a request within twenty-four (24) business hours for in-person requests, or seven (7) calendar days for requests received via mail, fax, or email.
• Inspection Hours: Once compiled, responsive public records will be made available for physical inspection during regular library operating hours.
• Production Schedule: Records will be produced within a reasonable period of time. “Reasonable” parameters are determined by the volume of records, complexity of the search, and the need for legal counsel review.

4. Exemptions and Redactions

Certain library records are strictly confidential and are excluded from public inspection:

5. Denials

Indiana Code 5-14-3-3.3(b) which gives us the authority to deny a request if one or more of the following apply:

(1) The public agency suspects the request to be data scraping or phishing activity.

(2) The public agency suspects that responding to the request electronically may:

(A) expose the public agency’s electronic systems or data to unauthorized access or alteration; or

(B) otherwise jeopardize the security of the public agency’s electronic systems or data.

Public records or disclosable data retrieved from an electronic data storage system under IC 5-14-3-3(d), may not be used for commercial purposes, including to sell, advertise, or solicit the purchase of merchandise, goods, or services or sell, loan, give away, or otherwise deliver the information obtained for these purposes. Use of information received in this manner may prohibit obtaining further data under IC 5-14-3-3(d).

Any denial of a public records request, in whole or in part, will be issued in writing by the Library Director (or a designated representative). The denial notice will state the specific statutory authority or exemption under Indiana Code that authorizes the non-disclosure. In denying the request we will notify the public access counselor of the request and statutory basis for denying it IC 5-14-3-3.3(c) – you may find the form here (fairly easy to complete) https://in.accessgov.com/opac/Forms/Page/opac/opac-suspicion-of-fulfilled-request-notice/1

6. Copying and Search Fees

The library charges standard fees to cover the actual costs of duplicating records, as permitted by state law:

Fees must be paid in full to the Akron Carnegie Public Library before copies are released.

Approved by the Akron Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees
Date of Adoption: November 3, 2026