Video Surveillance Policy

The purpose of this policy is to regulate the Library’s use of video surveillance and recording on the Schaumburg Township District Library premises at three locations. The Library operates a video surveillance system to provide a safe and secure environment for its patrons and staff. This system does not record audio as part of its functions. Video surveillance cameras are only installed in areas within and outside the Library buildings where patrons do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Information obtained through video surveillance will be used to assist with the investigation of incidents, including theft, vandalism, personal injury, or property damage, and for security and law enforcement purposes, which relate to the protection of Library patrons, staff, and the public, or deterrence or detection of criminal activity. Video surveillance of the Library premises will be conducted in a professional, ethical, and legal manner, in accordance with the following principles:

  1. video surveillance will be conducted and used in accordance with the laws of Illinois;
  2. the Library’s use of video surveillance will be limited to employees authorized by the Executive Director; and
  3. appropriate signs and notice of video surveillance will be posted outside and within areas of the Library subject to video surveillance.

The Library reaffirms its support for Article III of the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics, which states that librarians “protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received, and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted.”

Retention, Disposal, and Destruction of Recordings

Video surveillance will be conducted in a professional manner by personnel who have been appropriately trained in its responsible use. There is no access to audio files within the system, so no access can be provided in response to any requests.

Library access to the video surveillance system shall be limited to the following authorized personnel:

  • The Executive Director and their designees
  • The IT Director
  • The Security Supervisor
  • Contractors authorized by the Executive Director, for the limited purpose of performing repair, installation, and maintenance on the system

However, as provided below, footage and recordings captured by the video surveillance system are public records that are subject to disclosure under Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1, et seq. (FOIA). The Library may also provide access to law enforcement for investigation, security, and crisis response purposes. Unauthorized access, exporting, or sharing live or recorded video surveillance footage by an employee may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Monitoring

Video surveillance of the premises is conducted at all times when the Library is open during normal business hours. Library premises may also be subject to video surveillance after hours.

Authorized staff may periodically monitor cameras in real time. However, there is no expectation that library personnel will monitor footage in real time for security or other purposes.

Employee Notification

Current employees have been informed, and new employees will be informed upon date of hire that the Library uses video surveillance.

Retention, Disposal, and Destruction of Recordings

Video surveillance will be kept for no less than 30 days and destroyed in accordance with the Illinois Local Records Act, 50 ILCS 205/1, et seq. Video surveillance systems will be designed with a targeted retention range of approximately 30 days. However, this may vary widely since data storage usage depends on image quality settings, frame rates, scene traffic, and other variables. As video footage grows over time, the oldest recordings are automatically purged from the storage media to make space for newer recordings.

Authorized Library personnel may store, in a secure location, recorded video footage or images retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceedings, or for other use as approved by the Executive Director.

Use/Disclosure of Images and Recordings

Besides requests from our three local police departments (Schaumburg, Hanover Park, and Hoffman Estates), all requests for copies of video surveillance are subject to FOIA. According to FOIA, requests must be made in writing and are subject to state and federal laws related to confidentiality and dissemination of information. The Library also complies with the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act, 75 ILCS 70/1, et seq., which limits disclosure of registration and circulation records.

The Executive Director will be notified of all requests for exported video footage to be furnished to law enforcement or other outside agencies, or for archival beyond normal time periods. The same applies to requests from law enforcement for remote access to the Library’s surveillance systems when applicable. The Executive Director may seek advice from legal counsel before responding to law enforcement officers' request.

When footage extraction or archival is requested, the dates and times provided must be as specific as possible and limited only to particular views and time windows, because high resolution video footage uses very large amounts of storage space. The Executive Director or their designee will maintain a record of export requests, including dates, times, locations, requestor, subject, and recipient of the footage.

Approved by the Schaumburg Township District Library Board of Trustees on November 17, 2025.