Your details a hot read

CIVIL liberty experts have expressed concern after privacy rules were changed to allow council officers access to the details of library users.

All library members were sent a letter last week advising them the rules had changed.

Councillors, council officers and “authorised contractors” will now be able to access the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of library users for more than just library-related reasons.

A council spokeswoman said the information would be used to send users information regarding council “functions and services”, but did not elaborate on what services might be involved.

“The privacy notice was ... expanded to provide council with the authority to use a customer’s personal information to send relevant council information regarding council’s functions and services that may assist the customer,” a council spokeswoman said

Library users provide their name, address, email address and phone number to librarians when they sign up and are encouraged to keep their details up to date.

Queensland Law Society president and Gold Coast solicitor Christine Smyth said the notice had “a lot of words and it doesn’t explain”.

“The council notice does not state with any particularity what purpose it is extending the access to the library users’ information,” she said.

“For example, why would a contractor to the council need the details of an avid Harry Potter fan?”

Ms Smyth said people escaping domestic violence would be among those concerned about the extended use of their personal information.

“We need to be careful protecting these people’s privacy,” she said.

Queensland Council of Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O’Gorman said library users understood they needed to provide personal details “in the event they don’t return anything. (But having it spread further) is really objectionable,” he said.

Privacy Commissioner Philip Green said reasons for a change should be clearly communicated.

The Australian Library and Information Association says libraries should “ensure that personal information is available only to relevant staff, used for the purposes for which it was collected and kept only so long as it is absolutely required.”