1 Assess your needs and options

Before choosing a third-party platform or vendor, you should assess your library's needs and goals, as well as the available options and alternatives. What services or resources do you want to offer to your patrons? What are the costs, benefits, and drawbacks of each option? How do they align with your library's mission, values, and policies? How do they comply with the relevant laws, regulations, or standards for privacy and confidentiality? You should also consult with your patrons, staff, and stakeholders to understand their preferences, concerns, and feedback.

2 Review and negotiate contracts and agreements

When you decide to use a third-party platform or vendor, you should review and negotiate the contracts and agreements carefully. You should pay attention to the terms and conditions regarding data ownership, access, retention, deletion, security, breach notification, audit, and dispute resolution. You should also look for clauses that allow you to opt out, modify, or terminate the contract if the platform or vendor changes its policies or practices, or if you are not satisfied with the service or performance. You should seek legal advice if necessary, and document the agreements and expectations clearly.

3 Inform and educate your patrons

One of the most important steps in managing the privacy risks and benefits of using third-party platforms or vendors is to inform and educate your patrons about their rights and responsibilities. You should disclose what data is collected, stored, or shared by the platform or vendor, and how it is used or protected. You should also explain the benefits and risks of using the service or resource, and the options or alternatives available. You should provide clear and accessible privacy notices, policies, and statements on your website, catalog, or signage. You should also offer training, guidance, or support to help your patrons use the service or resource safely and effectively.

4 Monitor and evaluate the performance and impact

Another key step in managing the privacy risks and benefits of using third-party platforms or vendors is to monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of the service or resource. You should collect and analyze data on the usage, satisfaction, outcomes, and feedback of your patrons, staff, and partners. You should also check the compliance, security, and quality of the platform or vendor regularly. You should report any issues, problems, or incidents to the platform or vendor, and seek solutions or remedies. You should also review and update the contracts and agreements periodically, and consider changing or discontinuing the service or resource if necessary.

5 Implement and enforce privacy policies and practices

Finally, you should implement and enforce privacy policies and practices in your library to protect the data and interests of your patrons, your library, and your partners. You should follow the principles and guidelines of privacy by design, which means that you should embed privacy into the design and operation of your services and resources. You should also adopt privacy-enhancing technologies, such as encryption, anonymization, or pseudonymization, to minimize the exposure or identification of user data. You should also train and educate your staff on the privacy policies and practices, and monitor and audit their compliance and behavior.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?