Privacy Policy

Protecting your privacy is important to us. SEMLS does not collect personally identifying information about you when you use the SEMLS Web site unless you choose to provide information to us. SEMLS does not offer Web space to any third parties or advertisers that may independently track users.

Your use of forms or blogs on the SEMLS Web site will be treated with the same confidentiality as if the request had come to a public library, as described under Chapter 78, Section 7 of the Massachusetts General Laws. SEMLS does not and will not sell any information about users of the site.

E-mail

Personally identifying information gathered in e-mails will be used only for the purpose of answering or following up on your question. Any e-mail submitted via the SEMLS Web site will be forwarded to the person who can best answer the request.

Forms

SEMLS provides Web forms for many services, such as Accu-Cut reservations and reference questions. These forms do collect library name, address, phone and fax. We will also ask for a contact person and e-mail address. All SEMLS forms are submitted via e-mail to the staff member or service provider responsible for handling the information. This information does not remain on the SEMLS Web site.

The SEMLS reference form could collect some personally identifiable patron information if you want a reference center to contact the patron directly. The form asks for patron name, phone, fax and e-mail address. As with all other SEMLS forms this form is sent as e-mail to the reference center, which will use this information to contact the patron with the answer. This information is not retained by the reference center.

Blogs

The SEMLS Web site provides blogging software. When you join a SEMLS blog, you will be asked for name, e-mail address, user name and password. This information will remain on the SEMLS Web site but will be used to recognize you as a registered blog user only.

Web Logs

SEMLS counts the number of viewers of Web pages on the site using standard Web server log files. This information is collected in order to improve content and to compile statistical reports. These logs do not include names, phone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses or other identifying personal information. SEMLS does not try to attempt to identify you or your computer by IP address.

Cookies

SEMLS sets a session cookie for blog members who log into the blogging software. This cookie resides in your computer?s memory and is deleted when you leave the site.

SEMLS will also set a permanent cookie for blog members who choose to have their user name and password remembered on subsequent visits. This cookie is only used to identify the blog user the next time he/she visits the blog.

Links to Other Sites

This Web site does provide links to other sites. SEMLS is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites. We encourage you to become familiar with the privacy policies of the other sites you visit, including linked sites.

Changes

Any changes to the privacy policy will be posted on the site at least 30 days before the change is to take effect. Changes in this privacy policy will only affect information that is gathered on or after the official date of the change. Privacy of older information will continue to be maintained under the guidelines in effect when the data was gathered.