ACLU writes letter to Iowa City Public Library concerning restroom cameras

IOWA CITY - The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa has contacted the Iowa City Public Library with concerns about video cameras in the library's public restrooms.

In a five-page letter, the ACLU asks the library to either remove the cameras or improve its signage to better explain areas where the cameras are recording.

The letter states that Kellsie Pepponi, a University of Iowa sophomore, believes the cameras violate her privacy and signs do not adequately communicate cameras are recording inside the restroom.

'Ms. Pepponi saw security cameras outside the bathroom, monitoring the entrance, and reasonably believed those were the only cameras in use,” said the letter from Rita Bettis, legal director of the ACLU in Iowa.

Susan Craig, the library's director, said cameras monitor the common areas of library restrooms - the sinks and doors - and cannot see into stalls.

'We believe it's legal and the purpose for the cameras is to protect the safety of the people in the library and protect the security of library property,” Craig said.

Assistant City Attorney Eric Goers said signs outside the restrooms say 'security cameras in use” and that the cameras are not hidden.

The ACLU letter outlines Pepponi's experience and legal precedents that may apply to this situation.

It said Pepponi first thought the signs indicated cameras were filming the entrances to the restrooms and didn't immediately notice the cameras inside - as she didn't see them until she was standing in a stall.

Another concern is that the footage is subject to open records laws because it was created by a government agency. The ACLU said in a news release it previously obtained footage through a records request of people in the library's restroom, which included people changing clothes or zipping up pants.

Goers confirmed the city complied with a records request from the ACLU.

'I think the cameras need to come out of the bathrooms, and at the very least, the signs need to accurately inform library-goers that they will be recorded inside so they can choose to use the bathroom elsewhere if they can,” Pepponi said in the ACLU news release.

Craig said the cameras in the library have been in use for more than 10 years, and she knows of other Iowa libraries using restroom cameras. She said the library consulted City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes, who believes the cameras, with signage, are legal.

She said no library employee is actively looking at footage nor is it displayed on screens anywhere. The footage is downloaded on a hard drive and is automatically deleted after seven to 10 days, she said.

The footage has been used to help police in cases of assault or theft, Craig said. She added the library serves as the public restroom for downtown Iowa City and is often a busy place.

Craig said she receives about one or two calls a year with questions about the cameras. Goers, the assistant city attorney, said the ACLU has been asking questions about them since 2008.

'We've answered questions and responded to open records requests from the ACLU on this topic since 2008 and are happy to do so, as they raise important issues and discuss them in an intelligent, collaborative way,” Goers wrote in an email.

The city attorney's office will review the letter from the ACLU, Craig said, adding she would share that information with the library board, which will decide how to proceed.

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