Message to Users about Privacy

This Privacy Message explains what information we collect from you and why. By using our website, downloading mobile applications, downloading e-content, or visiting a Library location, you agree to our Library Patron Privacy and Confidentiality Policy. You also agree to let us use your email and postal address to communicate with you about our programs, services, and more. Colorado State law (CRS 24-90-101 et seq.) requires that we treat as confidential information about materials you check out, information you access, and your use of the library. We also do so because it is in keeping with our commitment to you to protect your privacy. In developing this Privacy Policy, we drew upon industry best practices and national standards for privacy.

This Privacy Message may change from time to time. We will post such changes to our website. We will alert you to material changes that have been made by noting the updated date on the policy, placing a notice on our website and/or by sending you an email.

What information does JCPL collect?

We collect different types of information from you depending on your chosen level of engagement with our Library services and the information needed in order to provide you with access to those services. We collect information about you in three ways: 1. directly from you, 2. from automatically-collected network logs, and 3. through cookies. We typically keep information only for so long as it is needed for the reasonable operation of the Library and in order to better deliver Library services to you. We may retain some information in backup storage systems, hard copy form, or as required by law.

1. User-Provided Information. When you register for a user account for our Library services, we may ask you to share certain information. If you register with us or for a service we provide, we offer you the opportunity to review and, when practical, to update, change or delete some information you have provided.  You can do this by logging into your registered user account or you can ask our staff to assist you by phone at 303-235-5275 or by emailing us at ask@jeffcolibrary.org, or by visiting a Library location and speaking to our staff. If you deactivate your registered user account, you may not be able to continue using certain Library services that require registration. The following are examples of information that you might be asked to provide:
   • Personal Information: information that can personally identify you, such as your name, physical address, email address, phone number, Library card number, payment information, and other similar information.
   • Residency Verification: information such as driver’s license, other government-issued identification, and utility bills containing a postal address (click here for a complete list of acceptable forms of proof of residency).
   • Shared Content: includes anything created by you that you choose to make public by using our Library services such as reviews, ratings or lists of recommendations. Your registered user account and any information you have chosen to display may accompany your shared content.
   • Social Media Information: includes the option of using your social media accounts and posting content, including photos, on our social media pages, our crowdsourcing sites, or elsewhere on the Internet, and such information you allow to be shared.
   • Photos and Videos: occasionally, Library staff may seek to photograph or videotape patrons engaging in Library activities to use in promotional materials produced by the Library. Signs will be posted to notify patrons when staff wish to photograph or videotape events, and patrons may decline from being photographed by speaking to any staff member to express their concerns. In the absence of such notification, patrons are assumed to grant permission to the Library and its affiliates and/or agents to use their photograph on the Library website and/or in social media or print materials for any purpose, including promotional purposes, without further authorization.
   • Login Credentials: includes library card number, username and password or PIN, which are provided as part of the process to create an online user account which allows you to view your Library Records at any time by logging into your account.
   • Library Record: contains your Personal Information related to your personal use of circulating and downloadable Library materials, including but not limited to saved searches, interlibrary-loan transactions, e-mails, requests for photocopies of Library materials, title reserve requests, and the use of audio-visual materials such as films and music.
   • We are committed to keeping such information, outlined in all the examples above, only as long as needed in order to provide Library services.

2. Information JCPL Automatically Collects. When you use our Library services, such as our website and mobile applications, our computer servers automatically capture and may digitally store information about your usage of our Library services. This information is usually de-identified and used in aggregate. Personally identifying information is cleared regularly. Examples of information that we may collect include:
   • Your Internet Protocol (IP)  address
   • Your location
   • Kind of web browser or electronic device that you use
   • Date and time of your visit
   • Website that you visited immediately before arriving at our website
   • Pages that you viewed on our website
   • Certain searches/queries that you conducted
   • Video footage
   • Records of documented incidents or accidents
   • Record of payment of fines or fees

If you are using a Library device, we may also record your Library card number time and length of your session, and the websites that you visited.  If you are using our public Wi-Fi network, we may, in addition, also collect the MAC address and name of your Wi-Fi device.

3. Cookies. A cookie is a small data file sent from your web browser to a web server and stored on your digital device’s hard drive.  They are generated by websites to provide users with a personalized and often simplified online experience. You have the option of disabling such cookies if you choose not to allow their use. If you prefer, you can usually remove or reject browser cookies through the settings on your browser or device. Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. Keep in mind, though, that removing or rejecting cookies could affect the availability and functionality of our Library services.

You should be aware that information collected about you through any of the above means may be de-identified and aggregated with information collected about other users or visitors.  This de-identified and aggregated information cannot be used to reasonably identify you.  This information helps us to administer services, analyze usage, provide security and identify new users of our Library services.  In addition, it helps us to improve your user experience.

How does JCPL use the information collected?

Depending on the Library services you choose to use, the following are some examples of the ways we use your information in order to provide those services to you. You always have the option not to provide the information being used for such services.

• We use Personal Information and Residency Verification to issue Library cards. If a user chooses to provide an email address, JCPL may use it to send account alerts and other communications. We use Library Records to assist in maintaining our collections and to verify records of users’ paid and unpaid fines and fees.
• In some cases we use Shared Content, Log-in Credentials, Social Media Information and Library Records to deliver enhanced or personalized services. Both your agreement to the terms of use and any preferences you set in an application determine how and to what extent this information is used.
• We use Personal Information, Login Credentials, and Residency Verification to provide access to some e-content, databases and through our mobile applications.
• We use Personal Information when collecting or processing payments, fines, and fees.
• We use Personal Information and Social Media Information to deliver promotions, surveys, and contests.
• We use cookies to collect information about your activity, browser, and device in order to provide you Library services. Cookies are used by web and software applications to remind them of who you are and help you navigate our website and digital services when you visit.  Cookies also allow you to save your preferences so you do not have to reenter this information each time you use our Library services. You have the option of disabling cookies by using the settings on your web browser.

How do you manage information that JCPL has collected about you?

You can manage most information within your registered user account or you can ask our staff to assist you by phone at 303-235-5275, by email at ask@jeffcolibrary.org or by visiting a Library location and speaking to our staff.  Our information storage systems are configured in a way that helps us to protect information from accidental or malicious destruction.  To that purpose, the information we collect is also saved in backup storage systems.  Therefore, any update, change or deletion you make to your information or preferences may not immediately be reflected in all copies of the information we have and may not be removed from our backup storage systems until overwritten.

When does JCPL share information?

These are the ways JCPL shares your information:

1. When You Share Content with the JCPL Community. If you choose to share content through our online services, the Shared Content may be publicly accessible.  If you do not want to share content publicly, you can use your privacy settings to limit sharing.  You may delete some content that you shared, but some interactive shared content may persist in association with your registered user account, even after your account is terminated.  Therefore, you should keep this in mind when participating in shared content activity through our Library services.
2. Third-Party Library Service Providers. We use third-party library service providers and technologies to help deliver some of our services to you.  If and when you choose to use such services, we may share your information with these third parties, but only as necessary for them to provide services to JCPL.  We may also display links to third-party services or content. By following links, you may be providing information (including, but not limited to Personal Information) directly to a third party, to us, or to both. You acknowledge and agree that JCPL is not responsible for how those third parties collect or use your information.  Third parties must either agree to adhere to strict confidentiality obligations in a way that is consistent with JCPL Patron Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and the agreements we enter into with them or we require them to post their own privacy policy.  We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact with through our Library services.
3. Marketing Outreach. In order to ensure the most efficient use of our resources, we may use third party vendors to make sure the contact information we have for our users is current.  We may also use your information to improve our marketing outreach by working with third-party vendors to build models to identify and reach users. You can easily opt-out of such use of your information by (a) clicking the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of any marketing or communications e-mail you receive from us, or (b) contacting Communications and Marketing by phone at: 303-235-5275, or email to: Communications@jeffcolibrary.org.
4. Legal Requests. Sometimes the law requires us to share your information, such as if we receive a valid subpoena, warrant, or court order.  We may share your information if our careful review leads us to believe that the law, including state privacy law applicable to Library Records, requires us to do so.

How does JCPL collect and share children’s information?

• If you are under the age of 13, you may not be allowed to use our online services without your parent’s or guardian’s permission, especially when your personal information may be collected.
• If you are under the age of 17, you may not be allowed to get a library card without your parent’s or guardian’s permission. Parents and guardians of children under the age of 17 may view their children’s Library Records if they have access to their library card number.
• We may partner with third-party services to provide educational content for children. Parents and guardians should review those services’ privacy policies. The Library may assist third-party services in collecting consent from parents or guardians.
• Parents and guardians may need to give consent for the collection of information about their children under the age of 13 before they gain access to either in person or virtual programs.

For more information

If you have questions or concerns about our Library Patron Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and practices, please send us an e-mail at: DLPS@jeffcolibrary.org