Maintaining Patron Privacy

With limited time and resources, how you can you ensure privacy in the church library?

One library that uses signature cards and pockets recommends keeping black sharpies handy. The previous borrower's name can easily be crossed out keeping the signature private. While this isn't a perfect solution, the librarian says, it works well and is affordable.

Bev Etzelmueller of St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin shares that handling sensative books allows her be aware of hurts and concerns of members, sometimes before the pastors do. She says, "With compassion and God's love, I guide members to the needed suggestions. I always say a prayer for that person as I'm driving home from church." (Now that is true library ministry.)

How do you maintain privacy in your library? Click on "Comments" below to leave your ideas.