Back to the home page

_{Volunteer "Can Do" List}

Meeting re: Library Volunteer Issues

February 11, 2005 at 1:00 p.m.in the Converence rm.

Present: Kathryn Miller NDTA (Teacher-Librarian Hammond Bay Elementary and Wellington Secondary), Nancy Bond CUPE (Library Clerk), Robert Food, (Human Resources), Lillian Carefoot (Principal -Woodbank Primary), George Duffell (Senior Management), Rob Zver ( CUPE ), and Donna Reimer (Communications and Privacy Officer).

Further to the minutes of the previous meeting it was acknowledged that there continues to be a general agreement that library volunteers are welcome and necessary in our schools.

Protection of privacy

The following two issues regarding privacy were raised at the previous meeting:

1. The comple1ion of automation in SD68 libraries and the use of computers for the signing out and in of books and materials means that sensitive student/family information can often be accessed through such computers. Therefore, if volunteers are engaged in signing in and out of materials there is potential concern that the privacy of students and their families may not be adequately protected.

2. Recent legal cases in the U.S. have also raised the question of the right of Students

and their families to have privacy protection over their reading patterns. It may be seen as important, for example, that no volunteer should be able to discern which students are taking out books on pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, or other sensitive topics.

Donna Reimer provided the committee with information related to privacy issues. It is understood that there is a general requirement that information gathered by employees and used by volunteers in our school district is to be kept confidential Donna explained that as early as next year, public sector organizations will need to be more explicit about the obligation to keep information confidential. Empolyees and voluneers will have to sign confidentiality agreements in the future and assurance was provided to the. committee that there is adequate protection of students' information.

Guidelines for the Use.of Volunteers in School Libraries

The list of guidelines stated below for the use of volunteers in school libraries is recommended by the committee:

• Checking in materials

• Checking out materials

• Handling reserves, holds and overnight loans, etc. 

• Overdue lists

• Examining the condition of materials when they are returned

• Shelving material

• Tidying materials

• Shelf reading to ensure materials are in the proper order on the shelves

• Book sales

• Helping students to locate resources

• Display set up

• Gathering materials for teachers

• Filing publishers' catalogs