• Summer. Simple. Starts June 1.

    On June 1, we are moving to new summer hours. The biggest change is that we will open at 10 AM daily. Monday & Wednesday, 10 AM to 9 PM; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10 AM to 5:30 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed Sunday.

  • Online Access to Historical Rutland High School Yearbooks

    The Rutland Historical Society and the library have partnered to make selected years of the Rutland High School Yearbook from 1930-1993 (more coming!) available. Check it out by clicking on the title!

  • Try TumbleBooks ebooks for Kids!

    Click on the Kids Space tab to access TumbleBooks! Find animated, talking picture books with fiction, non-fiction and foreign language titles, and Read-Alongs (chapter books with sentence highlighting and narration.)

  • Billings Farm and Museum Pass Now Available

    We now have a pass for 2 adults and 2 children for the Billings Farm and Museum! Call or swing by the library to borrow it.  

  • Check out the schedule for 2013′s Community Cinema

    Rutland Film Society and Rutland Free Library present a second year of outstanding films and panel discussion. Every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7pm.

  • Library Elf

    Sign up for Library Elf, a new service we subscribe to, and you can receive emails or text messages for holds and due dates on your library account.

  • Reader’s Corner

    Reader’s Corner (which you can find in the left-hand menu, and the top menu) features all the resources you need about books in our library. There are links to InterLibrary Loan and a request form for new books and dvds. Check it out today!

  • Check Out Museum and Park Passes!

    We have passes available for Vermont State Parks, Historic Sites, and Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center. Ask at the circulation desk or call for more information.  

Confidentiality Policy and Procedures

Policy

It is the policy of the library to protect the confidentiality of library users to the extent permitted under Vermont and federal laws. The library will comply with all lawfully issued court orders and subpoenas properly served upon it and furnish the documents and materials specifically listed in the court order or subpoena.

1. It is further understood that compliance with validly issued court orders does not eliminate the right of the library to challenge their issuance in proper legal manner.
2. The library will seek the advice from an attorney retained for such purpose or from legal counsel supplied by the Freedom to Read Foundation, on the scope and content of the applicable laws pertaining to that particular search, and on compliance with the search of library and patron records.
3. Library records which may be the focus of law enforcement requests include electronic, print, and other forms of patron information. Archives of information that reveal identities of individuals are kept only when clearly necessary. The library needs to retain specific information for the regular operation of library business.
4. Notwithstanding the above, a parent or guardian of a child under age 13 who has a library card may request and receive circulation records pertaining to the child. A parent or guardian of a child age 13 or over who has a library card may request and receive the following information regarding that child’s circulation records:

  • The number and titles of overdue books on the card, if any
  • The amount of any fines and/or fees associated with the record.

5. All staff are responsible for adherence to these policies and procedures. All library personnel, including pages and volunteers, are to be fully informed on this policy and procedure and on their own role if such situations arise.

Procedures

  1. The library director or the director’s designee will be the person responsible for handling law enforcement requests.
  2. The library director will use legal counsel on all law enforcement requests. The counsel will review all warrants for sufficiency and correctness and take necessary legal action in the case of improprieties in the issuance of the warrant or in the search.
  3. If the agent or officer does not have a court order compelling the production of records, the director or designee will explain the Library’s confidentiality policy as well as state law and inform them that the records are not available until a court order or subpoena in proper form is issued and presented to the library.
  4. A valid court order must be issued before a law enforcement agent or officer places software or hardware on library servers or other information technology.
  5. A library employee or volunteer may disclose the contents of an electronic communication and/or information about a library user to law enforcement officials if s/he reasonably believes that an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury requires disclosure without delay.
  6. All library staff and volunteers will understand that they have no authority to answer questions of agents or officers nor to order compliance with any court order or subpoena. They will also understand that it is lawful to refer the agent or officer to the director or designee and that they do not have to respond immediately to any request.
    • If approached by agents or officers, staff will immediately refer them to the director or designee.
  7. After the visit, the director and library staff and volunteers will adhere to any restrictions in the warrant about sharing the information with others. FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] court-issued warrants specifically charge that any person or institution served with a warrant will not disclose that a warrant was served or that documents were produced pursuant to the warrant.
  8. Only the library director or assistant director will be prepared to discuss the matter with the media.
  9. The director or designee will retain a confidential log of all requests for records.
  10. All staff, paid and volunteer, will be advised of these policies and procedures.

Adopted
1/12/2005
Board of Trustees