This paper discusses issues for libraries related to privacy in the digital environment. The first section defines the meaning of privacy. The second section discusses the impact of technology and the use of technology, including principles issued by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1973 that still provide a basis for humane and responsible collection and retention of personal data. The third section provides background on the history of privacy from the 18th century to the present. The fourth section addresses the present and future of privacy, including trends in the protection of privacy, federal laws affecting privacy, a European Union directive on data protection, and U.S. Department of Commerce statement of principles related to privacy that covers notice, choice, onward transmission, security, data integrity, access, and enforcement. The fifth section considers the relation between privacy and libraries, including automated library systems and access to electronic resources. The sixth section discusses privacy in action, focusing on an American Library Association interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights that provides an overview of privacy issues and an ethical framework for library policies. (MES)