The Board of Trustees of the Wood Dale Public Library District (“Library”) has a significant interest in maintaining an environment that allows patrons to freely access information and resources. This significant interest requires the Library to maintain policies that protect the privacy of its patrons and staff members and ensures their freedom from harassment, intimidation, and threats to their safety and well-being. To provide appropriate safeguards against such behavior and enforce policies and procedures addressing that behavior when it occurs, the Library has adopted the following policy regarding the taking of photographs or videos inside the Library building.
General Policy
Permission is not required for taking photographs or videos in public areas of the Library building for personal, noncommercial use if no tripods, lights, or other specialized equipment is used. However, there may be locations and/or exhibition areas where the taking of photographs or videos is restricted or prohibited (i.e., areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy such as restrooms and rooms reserved for nursing, childcare areas, museum artifacts, and archival materials). Taking photographs or videos of, or in, areas reserved for staff use only is also prohibited. If tripods, lights, or other specialized equipment is to be used, requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Under no circumstances may persons taking photographs and videos (i) compromise a patron or staff member’s right to privacy, (ii) harass, intimidate, or threaten a patron or staff member, or (iii) block library aisles, walkways, stairwells, doors, or exits.
Exterior Photography and Videos
Taking photographs and videos outside of the library building and/or of the Library grounds does not require permission. However, the activity may not impede the ingress or egress of patrons or staff to or from the building or mobile library.
Commercial Photography and Videos
The Library may permit use of its facilities for the taking of commercial photographs or videos if the project does not interfere with the mission of the Library and is in accordance with the rest of this policy. The Library will charge a fee to offset costs incurred to provide access to the facility. Prior permission must be sought at least one week in advance.
Newsgathering
Members of the media who wish to conduct newsgathering in the Library in any manner disruptive to, or interfering with, the operation of the Library or its use by other patrons or be inconsistent with the Library’s mission, must make themselves known to either the Director, or to the Person in Charge in the Director’s absence. Examples of behavior that can be disruptive, or interfere with, the operation of the Library or its use by other patrons or be inconsistent with the library’s mission, include (but are not limited to) violating an individual’s right to privacy, interviewing at other than normal conversational voice level, photographing, video recording, or audio recording patrons or staff.
Photography and Videos of Materials and Resources
The Library permits the taking of photographs and videos of its publicly available collections. However, patrons are solely responsible for obtaining consent or other permission when taking photographs or videos of copyrighted materials.
Library Photography, Videos, and Recording
The Library may take photos, videos, and audio recordings at the library and during library events to use in its publicity materials and on its website and social media sites. The Library reserves the right to document its services and the public’s use of its building and grounds.
These photographs, videos, and audio recordings may be copied, displayed, televised, and published (including on any Library website or social media platform). Any individual that does not wish the Library to use a photograph or video of them or their child should inform a Library staff member prior to or while such photographs or videos are being taken.
Library Board Meetings
Pursuant to Section 120/2.05 of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.), any person may record the proceedings of the Library Board and other meetings required by the Act to be open to the public. The recordings may be made by tape, film, or other means, provided that the making of recordings does not disrupt the meeting or create a safety hazard. The chairperson may in his or her sole discretion grant any special accommodation requests, designate a location for recording equipment or take other steps necessary to preserve the decorum of the meeting and facilitate the conduct of business.
Liability
Persons involved in taking photographs or videos are solely liable for any injuries to persons or property that result from their activities on library property. They also have sole responsibility for obtaining all necessary releases and permissions required by law from persons who can be identified in any photograph or video or for copyrighted materials. The Library undertakes no responsibility for obtaining these releases or permissions.
Right Subject to Compliance with Policy
The Library reserves the right to ask any individual or group violating this policy to cease the taking of photographs or videos.
Video Surveillance
The Library uses a video surveillance system to provide a safe and secure environment for its patrons and staff.
Information obtained through video surveillance will be used exclusively to assist with the investigation of incident, including theft, vandalism, personal injury, or property damage, and for security and law enforcement purposes, which must relate to the protection of Library patrons, staff, and the public, or deterrence or detections of criminal activity. Video surveillance of the Library premises will be conducted in a professional, ethical and legal manner, in accordance with the following principles: a) video surveillance must be conducted in compliance with the laws of Illinois; b) video surveillance will be used by Library employees authorized by the Library Director; c) appropriate signs and notice of video surveillance must be posted in areas subject to video monitoring. These are located at each entrance to the library and outside around Library property.
The Library Director and IT Manager will provide input on the placement of cameras. The Library Director and IT Manager are responsible for the surveillance systems. The IT Manager is responsible for hardware and software specification, configuration, and maintenance. Staff will notify the IT Manager or Library Director of any equipment failures or other problems.
Access to Surveillance Video
Access to surveillance footage is restricted to the Library’s administration. The Library Director may authorize access to surveillance footage to additional staff, to the extent required by their job responsibilities.
Unauthorized access, exporting, or sharing live or recorded video surveillance footage by a staff member may be grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
Monitoring Surveillance Cameras
Video surveillance of Library premises is continuous when the Library is open during normal business hours and after hours.
Periodically, cameras may be monitored in real time by authorized staff. However, there is no expectation that footage is monitored in real time by staff for security or other purposes.
Surveillance Restrictions & Limitations
All cameras shall have audio capture capabilities disabled. No audio may be recorded, streamed or transmitted at any time. Cameras shall not be installed or operated in areas where individual have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Surveillance Retention
Video surveillance systems will be designed with a targeted retention range of approximately 21 days. However, retention times may vary widely since date storage usage depends on image quality settings, frame rates, scene traffic, and other variables. As video footage grows over time, the oldest recordings are automatically purged from the storage media to make space for newer recordings. Video surveillance will be destroyed in accordance with the Local Records Act.
Record Requests
Requests for copies of video surveillance are subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). According to FOIA, requests are subject to state and federal laws as related to confidentiality and dissemination of information related to minors. Nothing in this provision preempts the dissemination of video surveillance to law enforcement. The Library also complies with the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act, 75 ILCS 70 et seq.
The Library Director or a designee will be notified of all requests for exported video footage to be furnished to law enforcement or other outside agencies, or for archival beyond normal time periods. The same applies to requests from law enforcement for remote access to the Library’s surveillance systems, if applicable.
When footage extraction or archival is requested, the Library Director will notify the IT Manager of specific dates and time blocks requested. These parameters must be as specific as possible and limited only to particular views and time window, because high resolution video footage uses very large amounts of storage space.
Replaces: Videotaping Policy 2-22-2016