Library Privacy and Reading Lists
As of November 15, the Chester Fritz Library no longer keeps records of completed patron transactions. Once you return an item to the library it will no longer appear on your account. The library staff will be able to see that someone checked out the item but not who checked it out. The only exception to this new policy is when an item has fines attached to it, like when the item was returned so late that it was declared lost, or if the item was returned damaged. In these cases, the transaction will remain on your patron account until the fine is paid or waived. Once the fine is resolved, then the entire transaction record is deleted from your account.
These changes are a part of our ongoing privacy and data retention reviews to keep your data safe and protect your privacy. Questions about your privacy and library records can be directed to Systems Librarian Emily Wros, emily.wros@und.edu.
If you were using your library records to keep track of the books you’ve read, we have a few alternatives to suggest:
- Goodreads (click here for website) is the most popular. Owned by Amazon, Goodreads allows you to create reading lists, connect with friends, and read and write reviews.
- StoryGraph (click here for website) is the trendiest app for tracking your reading. It has a lot of features, like graphs and reading suggestions.
- LibraryThing (click here for website) is old school and pretty basic. It’s one step up from random bits of scrap paper, and best suited for people looking to make lists of books and nothing else.
- For folks who are artistic, or just appreciate analog methods, there’s always the book log. A variation of journaling, you could use any notebook you have lying around, or buy a specialty volume.
Cover photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash
