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Resident alleges borough violated court order and library privacy rules
Summary
A resident told council the borough and Guthrie Memorial Library violated a Court of Common Pleas order dated April 1, 2025, and raised concerns about disclosure of patron records and staff access; the council did not take immediate action at the meeting.
HANOVER BOROUGH, Pa. — During the Dec. 17 meeting, resident Sandy Mao told the council she believes the borough and the Guthrie Memorial Library are violating a Court of Common Pleas order dated April 1, 2025, that, she said, required the parties to maintain hours and programs and protect patron confidentiality.
Mao said she had raised the issue previously with the library’s board of governors and accused a named staff member of improperly accessing patron information. She cited Pennsylvania law protecting library records and said disclosures should occur only on a court order or other narrowly defined legal basis.
"I come before you this evening to inform this council that they are in violation of a court order issued on 04/01/2025 by the Court of Common Pleas," Mao said, and asked the borough to address the alleged violations.
Why it matters: Library-record confidentiality is protected under Pennsylvania law and a court order can impose specific obligations on a municipal library and its governing authority. Mao asked the borough to enforce the court order and to ensure the library complies with state privacy protections.
Council response: The chair acknowledged the comment but no formal action or investigation was initiated during the meeting. The council did not record a formal response resolving Mao’s allegations at the Dec. 17 session.
Next steps: Mao asked for enforcement of the court order and for the borough to address alleged privacy breaches; council members did not indicate a schedule for follow-up during the meeting.
