There has been a misconception recently circulating in the community suggesting that knowing a person's library card number will provide access to their personal account information, such as phone numbers, addresses, and items checked out. I want to address these concerns by clarifying that this is not correct. At Goffstown Public Library, all library accounts are protected by a password/PIN, and this information is encrypted—even from library staff.

To help concerned cardholders more clearly understand, I want to share some hypothetical examples:

• Scenario 1: Let’s say my Goffstown Public Library card number is 24508000143770. Even if someone has that number, they cannot access my account at goffstownlibrary.com without the specific password/PIN I’ve set up.
• Scenario 2: If an unauthorized user has access to my library card number and requests a password/PIN reset, I will receive an email notification (sent to the address listed on my account) alerting me to the change request. I control whether that change happens, and no one else can access my account without my approval.

If you have heard any concerns or confusion about the Goffstown Public Library, I encourage you to reach out directly to me for clarification. You can contact me at dianneh@goffstownlibrary.com or 603-497-2102 for accurate information. To all our cardholders, thank you for being a patron of the Goffstown Public Library.

 ~ Dianne Hathaway, Library Director