Data Privacy and Academic Libraries: Non-PII, PII, and Librarians’ Reflections (Part 1)

Abstract

In this editorial, we discuss the benefits and challenges of working with library data that contains non-Personally Identifiable Information. Despite not containing identifiable information, non-PII data can still be analyzed and used to inform decision making. We are presently using several non-PII data points to inform decision-making in our library: Gate Count, Book Checkouts, Customer Searches, Search Terms Reports, Article and Abstract Downloads, Customer Service Interactions, and One Question Surveys. While non-PII data can inform decision-making in libraries, we have found this type of data to be limited in the ways we outline in this editorial.

Keywords:

• academic libraries
• data use
• Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
• non-Personally Identifiable Information (non-PII)
• assessment