[CASL-L] surveillance cameras

[Fitzgerald, Joy]

Our School has something like 148 cameras all over the building, which were installed in 2008, during a Building Renovation.   In the Library, there are only 2 cameras in the ceiling which can view the entrance and sign-in area as well as a second aimed to cover most of our Open Computer Lab area.   That leaves about 3/4 of the Library with no camera coverage.   Although there are cameras outside the exit and outside the Emergency Exit.

    Only the Administration, the school Police/Liason Officer, and the security guards have access to the closed circuit viewing closet.  The footage basically exists for about 2 weeks and then is written over in the computer memory.  The quality of the cameras are not that great.  Sometimes they cannot tell who a student is when footage has been viewed after an incident.  Also, there is no sound with our system, so the viewer has no idea of the conversation, or instructional content unless it is visual.

     We were not consulted when the cameras were first installed.  Originally one camera was aimed out at the room, but the administration had that one re-aimed at the door, several years after installation to cover anyone who enters or leaves the library.   At the time, this was to see who was stealing our security gate ropes and who was bypassing the system.

      None of the cameras throughout the school are in actual classrooms.   So, teachers have not had an issue with any of the security camera concerns.

       Joy

Joy Fitzgerald
Librarian Media Specialist, 21st Century Skills Teacher
Rockville High School Library  /  70 Loveland Hill Road  /  Vernon, CT 06066

 "Libraries are no longer ‘grocery stores’ where students can go to pick up ingredients, but ‘kitchens,’ where they have the resources necessary to create a finished product." --Joyce Valenza

860-870-6050 ext. 336 or 340 (Library Desk) / Open: 7:15 a.m. To 3:00 p.m. / Hours are during school year
________________________________
From: CASL-L [casl-l-bounces+joy.fitzgerald=vernonct.org at mylist.net] on behalf of Loretta Sullivan [b59lgian at mpspride.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2016 12:46 PM
To: Rocca, Jennifer
Cc: Cas-l Listserv
Subject: Re: [CASL-L] surveillance cameras

Hi Jen,

We have them in the library and we don't mind.  They are in all common areas (no classrooms) and are helpful in identifying students when they are involved in certain situations.  It has come in handy when students try to deface or take something from the library (a keyboard/mouse).  There haven't been any complaints and our community seems pretty comfortable/use to cameras in our buildings (they are used in the lower grades/buildings as well).  Some feel "safer" and people seem to get over it quickly if they do not like them in the first place.  I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

Loretta Sullivan
Library Media Specialist
Manchester High School

[https://docs.google.com/a/mpspride.org/uc?id=0B2HkkpWKBSgZWEtWLVA3ZEs1LUJ1eUdrR1d0REV5eGd5dWRZ&export=download]

"I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library."
                                                       - Jorge Luis Borges

On Thu, Dec 15, 2016 at 10:48 AM, Rocca, Jennifer <roccaj at brookfieldps.org<mailto:roccaj at brookfieldps.org>> wrote:
Our administration wants to install surveillance cameras in our library.  I am concerned.  Their proposed placement would allow them to view nearly 100% of the library.  I have concerns about students and teachers feeling comfortable in their teaching and presenting if they are on camera all of the time.

Who else has cameras in their library?  What policies did you create/adjust when they were installed  What do the cameras see?  What limits did you set for acceptable/unacceptable surveillance?

Suggestions?  Ideas?  Input?


--

Jennifer Rocca
Brookfield HS Teacher Librarian


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