Libraries care about your privacy. In fact, libraries have a long tradition of protecting privacy. The State of Colorado Library Law defines who and how information about a patron can be revealed. Pre-digital age, this information was only accessible by the library to conduct library business by a patron, with a warrant or through a subpoena. 

As we move forward in our digital world nefarious elements are determined to obtain information we collect digitally. A hack into our computer systems could obtain information used for data mining, identity theft or stealing library resources.

Public libraries are committed to allowing individuals to “select, access, and consider information and ideas without fear of embarrassment, judgment, punishment, or ostracism,” according the American Library Association.

The Library Bill of Rights, Article VII states that “libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy.”  Additionally, as a government entity in Colorado, public libraries are required to maintain reasonable security procedures to protect personal identifying information.

Grand County Library District is part of the Marmot Network, which is a resourcing sharing entity that allows patrons to obtain a copy of a book from one of the other 43 participating library systems. Marmot’s member libraries represent 883,000 library patrons, both adults and children. That’s 883,000 patrons to protect.

In the interest of keeping our patrons safe, Grand County Library District and all Marmot libraries will be implementing passwords on library accounts. Effective March 28, a generic “default” password will be issued, and patrons will need to reset to a personalized, private password known only to them. Passwords can be changed and reset by logging into your library account or via email. If a patron doesn’t have an email, passwords can be reset at the circulation desk.

The library district recommends selecting a strong password. A strong password is key to protecting yourself and others in the digital world. Using special characters, upper and lower-case letters, and numbers can take weeks or years to crack, deterring most hackers from bothering to even try.

Modern best practice for passwords recommends using a passphrase with character replacement to make a seemingly common phrase more secure. Rather than choosing something like “library card” as your password, try “#L1br4Ryc4Rd”. Due to the combination of symbols, letter case and numbers, the latter would take roughly 138,000 years for a computer to crack.

The dramatic nationwide increase in cybercrime, identity theft, and security around personal identifying information has brought the need for passwords to the forefront of our libraries. We continue to work towards protecting your privacy and appreciate your support in this transition.