An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Confidentiality of Library Records
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0344
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: THIBODEAU, WELSH, BURNS, CUSHING, GRATWICK, KATZ, LANGLEY, LIBBY, SAVIELLO, JORGENSEN, MAKER, NADEAU, POWERS
Amends: 27 MRSA §121

Legislative Document 
No. 344 
S.P. 127 
In Senate, February 10, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Confidentiality of 
Library Records 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by President THIBODEAU of Waldo. 
Cosponsored by Representative WELSH of Rockport and 
Senators: BURNS of Washington, CUSHING of Penobscot, GRATWICK of Penobscot, 
KATZ of Kennebec, LANGLEY of Hancock, LIBBY of Androscoggin, SAVIELLO of 
Franklin, Representatives: JORGENSEN of Portland, MAKER of Calais, NADEAU of 
Winslow, POWERS of Naples. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  27 MRSA §121, as amended by PL 2013, c. 82, §12, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place: 
§121.  Confidentiality of library records 
1.  Confidentiality.  A record maintained by any public library, as defined in section 
110, subsection 10, the Maine State Library, the Law and Legislative Reference Library 
or a library of the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or 
the Maine Maritime Academy is confidential if the record contains: 
A.  A library patron’s personally identifying information, including but not limited to 
the library patron's name, address, phone number and e-mail address; or 
B.  Information that identifies a library patron as having requested, obtained or used 
books or other materials in any medium at the library or provided by the library. 
2.  Permitted release.  A record designated confidential by subsection 1 may be 
released only with the express written permission of the library patron involved; to 
officers, employees, volunteers and agents of the library to the extent necessary for 
library administrative purposes; or as the result of a court order. 
3.  Public record.  A library may publish and release as a public record aggregated 
and statistical information pertaining to library patronage, circulation activities and use of 
any service or consultation the library provides as long as the release of the information 
does not jeopardize the confidentiality of a library patron's personally identifying 
information. 
SUMMARY 
Current law designates as confidential library records that identify the books or 
materials a patron uses at a public library, the Maine State Library, the Law and 
Legislative Reference Library and the libraries of the University of Maine System, the 
Maine Community College System and the Maine Maritime Academy.  This bill retains 
that designation of confidentiality and also designates as confidential personally 
identifying information about the library patron.  The bill also retains the provision that 
the confidential information may be released with the written permission of the library 
patron or pursuant to a court order but adds language permitting the confidential 
information to be released to officers, employees, volunteers and agents of the library for 
administrative purposes.  The bill clarifies that a library may publish and release as a 
public record aggregated and statistical information about library use if the confidentiality 
of a library patron's personally identifying information is not jeopardized.