Frequently Asked Questions

On June 11, 2025, Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) was repealed and replaced with the Access to Information Act (ATIA) and the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA). The ATIA and POPA apply to public bodies, including government departments, municipalities and  libraries. 

ATIA establishes rights for people to access records that are in the custody or control of public bodies.

POPA establishes privacy rights for Albertans concerning collection, disclosure and use of personal information by public bodies.  

The library applies several security arrangements to protect personal information, including administrative, physical, and technical safeguards based on the sensitivity of the information.

These safeguards include practices such as limiting the amount of personal information collected, employing strong access controls, updating policies and procedures, and implementing mandatory staff privacy training. This also includes restricted access to digital and physical spaces where personal information may be stored and maintaining updated security tools.

For more information about safeguards, please visit our Privacy Management Program.

Privacy complaints must be submitted in writing to the library’s Privacy Officer and should include sufficient detail to allow the complaint to be understood and investigated. 

The library will acknowledge any privacy complaint within no more than 30 business days after it is received.

For further information regarding the complaints process, read our full Privacy Management Program.  

You can also learn more about privacy complaints through the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC) website. 

Strathcona County Library collects personal information only when it is necessary to provide services, such as issuing library cards, delivering programs, or responding to inquiries. 

We will only: 

• Collect information that is directly related to our programs and services; 
• Use information for the purpose it was collected; 
• Share information when authorized or required by law. 

The library will not sell personal information in its custody or under its control in any circumstances or for any purposes, including for marketing or advertising purposes. 

Personal information can be corrected directly through BiblioCommons accounts; you are encouraged to log in and make these updates without staff intervention.  

However if you require assistance updating account information please call us or visit in person.

If neither of these options adequately addresses your request, you are also welcome to complete a Formal Correction of Personal Information Form and email the form to privacy@sclibrary.ca.  

Most general information about library policies, guidelines, and practices are publicly available on the library website. However, if you require access to other library documents, your own personal information, or you are authorized to act on behalf of another individual to request information, you can informally request this by contacting us. 

If information is unable to be shared informally, then you will be referred to make a formal Access to Information (ATI) Request. For more information about this process, please visit page 11 of our Privacy Management Program.