Historical Development of Confidentiality of Library Records in the United States

Abstract

It has been widely recognized in the United States that protecting the confidentiality of user records is the priority for libraries in promoting good library services. Although the American Library Association recognized the importance of protecting users‘ library records according to the ―Code of Ethics for Librarians‖ back in 1938, the issue of confidentiality did not become crucial until the 1970s. Confidentiality is becoming increasingly more important in the 21st Century in the new digital society due to vigorous increase in the amount of information. This paper presents an overview of the historical development of the confidentiality of library records in the United States.