Search Data Privacy in Academic Libraries: Qualitative Perspectives of Members of Marginalized Groups

This article examines undergraduate students’ attitudes towards search data privacy in academic libraries, with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of members of underrepresented groups. Using the qualitative framework of interpretive description and constant comparative analysis, 27 undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University—an urban research institution in the southeastern region of the United States—were interviewed. Most students were comfortable with search data collection if it benefited them; however, a notable number of those who opposed it expressed strong concerns about potential harm to vulnerable or underrepresented groups. These privacy concerns were primarily voiced by members of marginalized groups, emphasizing the importance of considering student perspectives, especially those who may be most vulnerable to adverse effects of data use as academic libraries increasingly employ learning analytics and individuallevel data. The purpose of this article is to amplify those voices