UT Libraries Privacy Statement
Confidentiality as a guiding principle
The UT Libraries considers circulation records and other records linking a library user with specific materials or services to be confidential in nature. We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all patron data in compliance with federal and state laws, University policy, and professional standards (such as those recommended by the American Library Association).
Types of data we collect or use
University records
- We use information about you provided by the University, such as your EID, name, and contact information, to create a user profile for you in our library management system.
Use of library materials
- When you check items out of the library, request a scan or physical item from our collection or another library, use our special collections, and access online materials from third-party providers, we use data such as your IP address, EID, transaction timestamp, and what you used or requested. You can control whether your library search history is saved through your Library Account settings. Information about special collection and Interlibary Services use may be kept indefinitely. When you follow a link from the library website to a third-party site to access content, any data you provide or generate through use will be subject to those sites’ individual privacy policies.
Use of spaces and services
- When you reserve or request a study room, interact with a librarian through chat, email, or a consultation, or attend a Libraries event, we receive information that you input, such as EID, that allow us to process or schedule the reservation or interaction. You may need to show a valid UT ID to enter Libraries locations, but we do not record this information. Security cameras in our locations are owned and operated by UTPD.
Use of workstations
- When you log into a Libraries computer workstation, we log your EID in addition to information about what programs you use and for how long. User profiles on workstations (the settings and files that are unique to your EID login) are deleted every 2 hours.
Use of library website
- We use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to receive information about how you use our website. This information is not personally identifiable, and may include your IP address, movement throughout the site, and browser type.
Building traffic and occupancy
- We use Occuspace, an occupancy monitoring service, to estimate how busy library spaces are in real time. Occuspace sensors passively detect Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi signals from nearby devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. The sensors use signal activity to estimate how many people are in a space at a given time. Occuspace does not connect to any device it detects and is not used to monitor individuals, track attendance, or evaluate how any specific person uses the library. See Occuspace’s Privacy Policy for more information.
How we use data that we collect
We use the data outlined above to provide and troubleshoot services, to understand and plan for current and future service and space needs, and to improve our provision of materials and services. In the aggregate, we use data for planning and institutional reporting and for integration with teaching and learning initiatives. We also use data to display current occupancy of library spaces to help you choose a study space.
How we share data
Access to library data is governed through University privacy policies, the Institutional Review Board (when data is requested for research purposes), and Texas law.
Some library services and content are provided through third-party vendors. When you follow a link from the library website to a third-party site, any data you provide or generate will be subject to those sites’ individual privacy policies.
When data are shared throughout the Libraries or the University for research or decision-making purposes, they are anonymized to the greatest extent possible that still allows them to be useful.
According to the Texas Public Information Act and in accord with established library principles, staff members may not release the names of borrowers who are using or who have used library materials or services. Exceptions are made only upon court order, subpoena, or warrant, or when deemed necessary by University officials for internal investigations.
How long we keep data
The Libraries follow the University of Texas Records Retention Schedule (UTRRS) to determine how long to keep any data we generate or collect. Some records, such as those documenting what materials a particular user has checked out from the library, can be anonymized as soon as the transaction has ended (i.e., the materials are checked in).
Your data rights
Through the Texas Public Information Act, you have the right to request a copy of the information that the University collects about you and to have the University correct any of that information that is wrong. You can do this through UT’s Public Information Portal: https://utexas.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP/_rs/supporthome.aspx
You can opt-out of having your activity tracked by Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics, and other third-party apps and services by disabling cookies in your web browser.