Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought and free association. The Al Ikhlaas Academia Library is committed to protecting your privacy, whether you are a user, visitor and/or donor. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect from you and why. By using our website, downloading our mobile applications, visiting a Library location, or donating to us, you agree to this policy.
You also agree to let us use your email and postal address to communicate with you about our programs, services, fundraising efforts, and more. While South African law requires that we treat as confidential information about materials you check out and information you access, 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 Policy may change from time to time by posting such changes to our website, so we encourage you to check back periodically for updates. We will alert you to material changes that have been made by indicating on the policy the date it was last updated, by placing a notice on our website, by sending you an email and/or by some other means.
What information does AL collect?
We collect information about you in three ways: directly from you, from automatically-collected network logs, and through cookies. We typically keep information only for so long as it is needed for the proper 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. 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.
- User-Provided Information. When you register for a user account for our Library services, we may ask you to share certain information with us. If you register with us, we offer you the opportunity to review and, when practical, to update, change or delete some information you have provided us.
The following are examples of information that you might be asked to provide to us:
- Personal Information: any information that can personally identify you, such as your name, physical address, email address, phone number, Library barcode, 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
- Social Media Information: includes the option of using your social media accounts and posting content on our social media pages, our crowdsourcing sites, or elsewhere on the Internet, and such information you allow to be shared with us.
- Library Record: contains your Personal Information related to your personal use of circulating and non-circulating Library materials, including but not limited to computer database searches, interlibrary-loan transactions, reference queries, e-mails, requests for photocopies of Library materials, title reserve requests, and the use of audio-visual materials where available.
We are committed to keeping such information, outlined in all the examples above, only as long as needed in order to provide Library services.
How does AL 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 of whether or 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, AL 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.
- We use Shared Content, Login Credentials, Social Media Information and Library Records, as allowed by you and in accordance with the preferences you have established, to deliver enhanced or personalized services.
- We use Personal Information, Login Credentials, and Residency Verification to provide access to e-books through our mobile applications.
- We use Personal Information when collecting or processing payments, fines, and retail shop purchases.
- We use Personal Information and Social Media Information to administer promotions, surveys, and contests.
- We use Personal Information and Social Media Information to provide opportunities to further engage with the Library through advocacy and fundraising campaigns.