*** This version of Confluence is for testing only and contains a copy of content from June 29th 2026. No changes will be preserved. ***
| Table of Contents | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Problem Statement
The Metadb reporting database serves as a platform for generating reports for library staff on data from all functional areas of the FOLIO system. The Metadb software extracts, transforms, and loads data from the FOLIO application server continuously to the reporting database through its process of data synchronization. Both current and historical records are saved in tables in the reporting database. Some of these tables contain fields with patron identifiers, such as "user_id" and "requester_id." Patron identifiers are needed for current transactions – such as loans, requests, and fines that are open – to enable library staff to identify and communicate with those patrons. Patron identifiers for historical transactions – such as loans, requests, and fines that are closed – are not needed. To uphold the Cornell Library's Commitment to Privacy policies, patron identifiers on historical transaction records should be replaced with NULL values in the Metadb reporting database.
...
- Folio_audit.circulation_logs
- Folio_circulation.audit_loan
- Folio_circulation.check_in (can be linked by item_id and date/time to audit_loan table, which has user_id)
- Folio_circulation.patron_action_session
- Folio_circulation.loan
- Folio_circulation.request
- Folio_circulation.scheduled_notice
- Folio_email.email_statistics
- Folio_feesfines.accounts
- Folio_feesfines.feefineactions
- Folio_orders.po_line__
- Folio_patron_blocks.fee_fine_balance_changed_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.item_aged_to_lost_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.item_checked_in_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.item_checked_out_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.item_claimed_return_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.item_declared_lost_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.loan_closed_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.loan_due_date_changed_event
- Folio_patron_blocks.user_summary
Questions for Nassib
- Given increasing concerns about data privacy, is data anonymization on the roadmap and how will it work
- There is some loan anonymization functionality in FOLIO settings and there are plans to do the same for Requests
- Is metadb anonymization being developed with that interdependence in mind, or is it going to be an independent feature
- Will there be a feature to turn off the historical row creation for Metadb (as you do for LDP)
- Will there be a feature to make patron identifiers (e.g., user_id, requester_id) NULL in historical rows?
...
Historic Loan Rows
Current Loans are already purged of patron data, but Historical Loans are not
-need to research connection between loans and fine/fee transactions
...
-Sharon to ask Hosting Team if they can run the job to stop the server, run the purge scripts, then restart the server on the weekend
Historic Loan Rows Anonymization Process
Here are the details of the process that will be followed to replace the user_id field on historic loan rows with NULL on Friday, May 9:
...
| Step | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The hosting team will keep the backup to Cornell's Metadb reporting database that is taken right before the anonymization process is run. Backups are incremental and are made on a rolling basis by the AWS Managed Service you use for Postgres databases. Backups can be kept for 7 days. | |
| 2 | As specified in the Metadb documentation, the hosting team will stop the server to prevent it from operating with an out-of-date cache. | |
| 3 | The hosting team will run the 2 anonymization scripts on the loan tables in the Metadb reporting database. | |
| 4 | As specified in the Metadb documentation, the hosting team will restart the server | |
| 5 | The hosting team will inform Sharon when the Steps 2 and 3 are complete. | |
| 6 | Sharon and Joanne will verify that the loan anonymization process has been successful and that normal data synchronization is continuing through test scripts that capture data stamps in loan_id rows. |
Data Anonymization Processes on the Metadb Database
Backups to Metadb Database
How often are backups made, how are they made, are the historical data backups overwritten with each new backup, are backups incremental or full?
...
-need to review tables that keep patron data in this area
-folio_email... etc.
Questions
What is in the zzz_ tables in Metadb? e.g., zzz___loan__t___
Is there a way to turn off the collection of historical data that is sensitive in Metadb?
Nassib says this has not yet been developed
Cornell University Library Data Privacy
...
- University Privacy Statement: https://privacy.cornell.edu/university-privacy-statement
- Responsibilities to Protect University Data (Policy 4.12): https://it.cornell.edu/policy/responsibilities-protect-university-data-policy-412
- Information Security Policy (Policy 5.10): https://it.cornell.edu/policy/information-security-policy-overview-policy-510
Questions for Nassib
- Given increasing concerns about data privacy, is data anonymization on the roadmap and how will it work
- There is some loan anonymization functionality in FOLIO settings and there are plans to do the same for Requests
- Is metadb anonymization being developed with that interdependence in mind, or is it going to be an independent feature
- Will there be a feature to turn off the historical row creation for Metadb (as you do for LDP)
- Will there be a feature to make patron identifiers (e.g., user_id, requester_id) NULL in historical rows?
What is in the zzz_ tables in Metadb? e.g., zzz___loan__t___
Is there a way to turn off the collection of historical data that is sensitive in Metadb?
Nassib says this has not yet been developed