SUE-duh-NIM-ih-ZAY-shun
Use it. Don’t spell it.
Say What?!
What is Pseudonymization?
Anonymization vs. Pseudonymization
Anonymization vs. Pseudonymization
From old_issues
Name: anonymous
Date enrolled: dawn of catalogue
Category Code: System
Branch: unknown
Number of checkouts: 6 bazillion
From pseudonmized_transactions
Name: $2a$10$.ZT8nRFqqL7iCkO.
Date enrolled: Jan 6, 2022
Category Code: Resident
Branch: Main
Number of checkouts: 132
The Ocean State Libraries Experience
Let’s make a plan!
Time to reinstitute data retention and patron privacy!
Download historical data.
Obtain board approval.
Enable Pseudonymization.
You can do it!
Pseudonymize historical transactions.
ByWater to the Rescue!
Optimize the pseudo job.
Test server hack.
Edit reports.
SELECT *
FROM saved_sql
WHERE savedsql LIKE ‘%statistics%’
Configure the clean up cron.
Borrower -/- Item after 16 weeks
Relax!
The right way to pseudonymize…
From the start!
With a worksheet to guide data retention discussions that can happen later.
Other thoughts on pseudonymization
Bettah!
Add borrower age bands -- juvenile, young adult, adult -- to align with IMLS definitions.
Divide the issue (checkout) transaction type into “browsing checkouts” and “filled hold checkouts” to allow for advanced statistical analysis.
Get buggy with it
This one is Steve’s fault
There will be no questions.
Are there any questions?
Thank you!
Valerie Burnett (she/her)
Data Migration Librarian
Bywater Solutions
valerie@bywatersolutions.com
Stephen Spohn (he/him)
Executive Director
Ocean State Libraries
sspohn@oslri.net
Presentation Description
Pseudonymization allows a Koha library to create a copy of circulation statistics that anonymize borrower information while retaining useful statistical details like borrower ZIP code, empowering the library to easily make more sophisticated data queries of their circulation history. Pseudonymization also supports library efforts to protect patron privacy. Libraries who choose to only keep recent transactions can rely on “pseudonymized” statistics that may be kept in perpetuity.
Ocean State Libraries chose to implement pseudonymization almost two years post-launch. OSL was finally ready to prune historical transactions and use pseudonymization to create a simple place for its members to run custom queries. However, as you’ll learn from the presenters, doing so “post-launch” created challenges for OSL and their host, ByWater Solutions.
Presenters Valerie Burnett (ByWater Solutions) and Stephen Spohn (Ocean State Libraries) will provide an overview of pseudonymization, some pros and cons, recent improvements, current bugs, and a riveting case study of implementation in a large consortium more than two years after go-live.
Presentation Outline