Confidentiality and Privacy Policy

“All people… possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries… advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.”

The Library Bill of Rights, American Library Association

“We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.”

Code of Ethics, American Library Association

As a professional practice, libraries protect the freedom to read and access information. Aligning with the Library Bill of Rights, the ALA Code of Ethics, Wallace Library’s mission and guiding principles, and Wheaton College policies, the Library works to protect your privacy. We:

  • treat records related to your use of the Library and its resources as confidential; and
  • limit access to those records to library employees for the purpose of carrying out library operations.

We do not disclose these records, except:

  1. to you;
  2. to a third party with your explicit consent; or
  3. in response to subpoena, court order, or as otherwise required by law.

Requests from law enforcement will be referred to the Office of the President. In some cases, library staff may be prohibited from informing you that a request for your records has been received.

To learn more about what records we collect, how we use them, and how long we keep them, see our Personal Data Collection Practices, where we include information on the following activities, tools, and services:

  • Borrowing;
  • Interlibrary loan;
  • Using online library materials;
  • Getting help from library staff;
  • Reserving rooms in the library;
  • Wheaton College OpenPress; and
  • Canvas Learning Management System.

We rely on many tools operated by third-party vendors. Your interactions with these tools are subject to the privacy policies of these vendors. We recommend that you regularly review the privacy policies covering the tools that you use.

This policy was last reviewed October 19, 2026.