The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) is committed to preserving and safeguarding your right to privacy. As part of this commitment, CELA wants its client users (Users) to be fully aware of what happens to the personal information which CELA has in its possession. This Privacy Statement sets out the manner in which we will collect, use, disclose and otherwise manage the personal information of Users of celalibrary.ca, accessible at http://www.celalibrary.ca.

CELA has contracted management of the service operations, including collection acquisitions and production and administration of celalibrary.ca, including the software/catalogue, hardware, and telecommunications, to CNIB. CELA maintains a member database of Users in the celalibrary.ca catalogue to enable the lending of library materials.

CNIB and CELA are restricted in their access to and use of User data. Access to personal information is permitted only to support the provision of reading and collections use services, including registration, User support and library service consultation, or for database maintenance. CELA and CNIB are not permitted to access User personal information for any other purpose, unless specifically approved by an individual User.

Collection of personal information

CELA and/or CNIB on behalf of CELA collects personal information when a User:

• Registers as a user of celalibrary.ca;
• Participates in any interactive feature of celalibrary.ca;
• Requests our e-mail communications; or
• Provides us with comments or suggestions.

To register as a user of celalibrary.ca, public libraries collect a User's name and e-mail address and only such additional information as is needed for CELA to delivery library service. CNIB on behalf of CELA collects User suggestions and other feedback Users provide. User suggestions are used by CELA and CNIB to improve services and operations. In addition, when a member sends an e-mail message to CELA through celalibrary.ca, the time the message was sent, and the IP address from which it was sent is automatically collected by CNIB on behalf of CELA.

CNIB on behalf of CELA may also automatically collect general anonymous information related to the use of celalibrary.ca, such as the date and time Users visit the website and the pages visited on the website. In addition, CNIB on behalf of CELA collects cookie information from your browser to identify your computer and provide us with a record of your visits.

Use of personal information

The personal information Users provide us to register as a member of celalibrary.ca is used to identify Users and to administer their participation in celalibrary.ca interactive features.

CNIB on behalf of CELA may sometimes use the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of Users to investigate activity that may violate the Terms of acceptable use and in order to enhance the capabilities of internal security systems.

Personal information may be used to contact the User and/or the User's parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s) when necessary. These notices may include changes in our policies or other notices.

CNIB on behalf of CELA uses the Usage Data and feedback information to help understand how celalibrary.ca is used (e.g., which pages or sections are most popular and when the peak activity times are), and assists in planning for future improvements to the site to better meet Users needs.

Disclosure of personal information

CELA may share a list of Users’ names and/or library card numbers from a specific member library with that member library, in order to support and facilitate library service.

CELA and its agent CNIB do not sell, rent or otherwise disclose any personal information about Users to any third party, other than member libraries as described above.

CELA may authorize CNIB from time to time to share anonymous aggregated demographic information and Usage Data with various third parties, such as our service providers. This is not linked to any information that can identify Users.

Security of personal information

CNIB as agent of CELA will maintain the personal information in its possession in appropriately secure data storage to safeguard it from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. By contract between CELA and CNIB, CNIB will maintain the strict confidentiality of all personal information collected, and will only disclose such information to employees and contractors of CNIB who require such information for the purposes set out above. Your personal information will be kept only for as long as it remains necessary or relevant for the purposes stated above or as otherwise required by law.

How to contact us

If you would like to review or update the personal information in the possession of CELA, or CNIB acting as agent for CELA or withdraw your consent for the collection, use and/or disclosure of your personal information, or if you have any inquiries or comments about this Privacy Statement, please contact the CELA Privacy Officer at 1.866.999.4976 or by e-mail at privacy@celalibrary.ca.