Privacy Policy

1. Purpose

To define the State Library of Western Australia’s policy for the management and safeguarding of personal information it collects

2. Scope

The policy applies to all personal information collected from members of the public by the Library for the purpose of undertaking library activities.

Definition:

The policy applies to personal information collected from:

  • members of the public by the State Library for the purpose of undertaking library activities; and
  • members of the public that choose to volunteer at the State Library.

Personal information is defined in the Privacy Act 1988 as: 
“...information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.”

The policy does not apply to: 

  • personal information collected from staff as a part of their employment and members of the Library Board of Western Australia as part of their service. This information is collected, stored and managed by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries;
  • personal information about members of the public contained in items from the State Library’s collections; for example, personal information contained in diaries, letters, photographic images or oral histories held by the State Library;
  • access to personal information under Freedom of Information legislation. Members of the public can make application to receive a copy of their personal information held by the State Library, and if found to be incorrect, to have it corrected under the Freedom of Information Act 1992. As per Schedule 2 of the Freedom of Information Regulations 1993, these applications are managed by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries on behalf of the State Library and the Library Board of Western Australia;
  • personal information collected by third parties that the State Library uses to support library services. For example, third party software may be used to manage event registrations. The third party may collect the personal information of someone making a registration. Anyone using this service should satisfy themselves with the privacy policies of the third party before they use the service; and

personal information collected from donors of collection materials. This information is collected and stored as State Library corporate records under the State Library’s Record Keeping Plan.
 

3. Context

The State Library may collect personal information to provide services to clients and to enhance the safety and security of staff, library clients and property.

This information comes from a number of sources including:

  • Client registration (membership) information required to access some State Library services;
  • CCTV for security monitoring purposes within the State Library building;
  • Computer logs which record data on clients who access State Library websites such as the Internet Provider (IP) address of the client and the URLs requested;
  • Computer logs which record data on clients who access websites from a State Library public computer such as the URLs requested;
  • Commercial transactions such as venue hire and purchasing copies of collection items;
  • Registration for State Library programs and events;
  • Communications with clients via letter, email, online forms, feedback forms and other means; and
  • Information about financial donors. 

Personal information collected may include:

  • Full name;
  • Street and /or postal address;
  • Email address;
  • Date of birth;
  • Mobile and/or telephone number;
  • State Library membership number;
  • Images (CCTV);
  • Signature; and
  • IP address.

The State Library does not use personal information held for automated decision-making processes.

Any breach of personal information held by the State Library will be managed under the State Library’s Data Breach Policy.

While a statutory mechanism for Western Australian Government allows agencies to share client’s personal information (outside of a legal demand) when adhering to stringent standards for risk assessment, decision making, governance and transparency, it is unlikely that the State Library would participate in a scheme to share personal information with another Government agency. Any data shared with another Government agency under such a scheme would be de-identified.

Aboriginal people and communities will be involved or consulted when personal information that primarily affects Aboriginal people is shared even if the information has been de-identified.

An individual can request a copy of the personal information the State Library holds about them. The individual will be required to identify themself. If an individual believes that the information held about them is incorrect, they can request that it is corrected. This information and correction can also be applied for under the Freedom of Information Act 1992.

An individual can provide feedback, including making a complaint, about the personal information held by the State Library and any alleged interference with their privacy. Anyone that is not satisfied with the State Library’s response to their complaint can take the matter to the Western Australian Ombudsman.

4. Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Library Board of Western Australia that:

The State Library will act with the utmost probity in its use of personal information. The State Library will not make use of personal information except for the purpose it was collected, or for a purpose that would be reasonably expected in carrying out the State Library’s activities.

The State Library will not intrude to an unreasonable extent on the personal affairs of an individual while collecting such information.

The State Library will not disclose personal information to another organisation or individual unless required to do so by law.

5. Responsibility

Manager Policy and Research

6. References

Approved, Library Board, 7 November 2024