How do I see a history of books I've borrowed?

Occasionally, we get this question:  "Can I see a history of all the books I've borrowed from the library?  I can't remember the title of a book I borrowed, and I want to borrow it again."

The short answer is NO.  Most libraries (including the Jessup Library) do not keep a record of books their users borrow.  You can only see a list of books that you currently have checked out to you.  This is intentional; the goal is to protect your privacy.  After the PATRIOT Act was passed in 2001, many libraries were concerned that government officials would want to know what our users were reading.  Yet, what you read is a personal decision and should not be scrutinized by others.  So, the Jessup Library scrubs that data from its systems, and it cannot be retrieved.

Should you be interested in more information, you can read the American Library Association (ALA)'s many documents and statements on privacy:

• USA Patriot Act
• Privacy