Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Libraries have a long history of supporting the privacy of patron data. Despite this history, the nature of patron privacy in a digital environment is evolving in ways that are outside of the direct control of libraries. For example, many library systems are cloud-based and managed by vendors, and much of the digital content is web-based and controlled by publishers. In both cases, the library does not directly control interaction data. NISO has launched a project to develop a consensus framework around patron privacy in these systems, bringing together libraries, publishers and vendors. Carpenter describes the developing framework. The SJPL won a grant from the Knight News Foundation to prototype an online privacy footprint mapping tool for the public. The goal is to provide a neutral source of online privacy information that could be tailored to an individual’s privacy needs. The main challenge is creating a responsive web tool that is fun and engaging while educating people about online privacy. SJPL partnered with San Jose State University Game Development undergraduates to help design and code the tool. Learn about gamification principles employed to make the tool engaging, team member roles that make the project possible, and the tech behind the project that includes HTML5 and JavaScript.