The Ethical Tightrope: Navigating Library Values in the Face of the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Patron Privacy Challenges

Abstract

In the dance between safeguarding patron privacy and navigating the law, community colleges confront a pivotal question: How do we fulfill our legal obligations without compromising the ethical and legal bedrock of our profession? In North Carolina, where I work, since the Parents’ Bill of Rights became state law in December 2023, community colleges have been pressured to compulsorily activate all patron checkout history for the first time in decades. Due to such pressure, a percentage of libraries have done so. From the historical echoes of the Red Scare and the PATRIOT Act to the contemporary challenges posed by political divisions, the need to shield individuals’ privacy from potential abuse is paramount.