Issues concerning the confidentiality of library-patron records in the age of electronics are explored. Confidentiality of patron records is a relatively new concept for libraries and was first introduced in the 1938 Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (ALA). Librarians have worked on a state-by-state basis to protect library records from public disclosure. The advent of sophisticated technology means that a common patron-record format is a necessary component in the development of multisystem library networks. Currently, the National Information Standards Organization, NISO, has drafted a standard format for patron records. Library clerical staff now have access to a great deal of personal information about individuals who come to check out books. Libraries compile and maintain records as a necessary part of doing business. Some of that data is sensitive. So far, libraries have been relatively successful in protecting circulation records from government agencies and private individuals, but they are beginning to find that it is all too easy to collect and share personal information in an automated system. (SLD)