Library checkout histories are private in basically all states, but New Hampshire recently debated going farther: should a patron’s status, whether they have an active library card or not, be exempted from public record?

That was the proposal put forth by state representative Lisa Mazur, who was elected to the local library board without having a library card, exposed through a public records request, according to InDepthNH. If passed, the bill would require a library staff member who released the information to pay a fine to anyone whose information was released, and write a letter of apology, sent by certified mail.

Mazur’s bill passed the house but failed in the senate. Other states, like Minnesota, Massachusetts and Iowa, also discussed library privacy this legislative session, but none of the bills made it to law.

Posted: June 12, 2026
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Secrecy Tracker