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MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES is an official web site of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, a state agency.
Ensuring Your Privacy
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES endeavors to protect your privacy to the maximum extent possible. Your use of library resources on MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES, including Access to Commercial Databases from Home or Office, library catalogs, the statewide Virtual Catalog, and library reference requests, or requests for subject information sent to MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES, will be treated with the same confidentiality as if the request had come to a public library. That part of the records of a public library which reveals the identity and intellectual pursuits of a person using such library shall not be a public record as defined by clause Twenty-sixth of section seven of chapter four.
General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 78, Section 7
Nevertheless, as a state agency, some information collected by MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES may be subject to disclosure to members of the general public under the General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 66, Section 10 , (Public Records).
Personally Identifiable Information.
We use the term "personally identifiable information" to mean any information that could reasonably be used to identify you, including your name, address, e-mail address, Social Security number, birth date, bank account information, credit card information, or any combination of information that could be used to identify you.
Agency Compliance
The Board of Library Commissioners complies with the Fair Information Practices Act, General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 66A. The Board of Library Commissioners also complies with Executive Order 412 with respect to all personally identifiable information collected on MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES.
The Information That MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES Gathers & How it is Used
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES collects a minimal amount of information about users. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not sell any information about its users. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not offer web space to any third parties or advertisers that may independently track users. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not attempt to identify you or your computer by IP address (reverse name lookup). MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not ask you to verify your identity, with the following two exceptions: 1) web site management functions that are restricted to authorized staff 2) authentication for access to commercial database products (see below).
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES Web Access Logs
Standard log files generated by MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES include IP address, the date and time of a web page was requested, the request method ("GET" or "POST"), the page requested, and its size in bytes. Raw log files are kept indefinitely by MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES. Our web logs do capture your browser's referrer page. This is the page that contained the link that leads you to MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES. Not all browsers carry this information. If you go directly to MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES without following a hyperlink from some other web page, no referrer information will be logged. From these web logs, MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES provides only aggregated (anonymous) statistical usage reports to the library community through such publications as the MBLC Annual report, and other occasional articles. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES will not attempt to match any personally identifiable information that you provide to us with your IP address, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that doing so would provide information that is relevant and material to a criminal investigation.
Session Tracking and Session Cookies
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not actively track users as they browse through the web site. Though MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES' statistical software can follow the path of a user through our Web site retrospectively (based on the users IP and the exact time that a web page was requested), such path analyses are not used by the Board of Library Commissioners.
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES automatically sets a session cookie, which will be removed when users close their browsers. The cookie does not contain any personally identifiable information.
Persistent Cookies
Persistent cookies, or lines of information that are actually stored on your computer, are only used if you choose to have the site "Remember" your library card number. The card number and home library identifier are encrypted before they are stored. No other information is being cached in your cookie file, nor is the MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES server retrieving other cookies from your computer.
Access to Commercial Databases from Home or Office
Home and office access to a number of valuable commercial databases is provided to the residents of the Commonwealth through contracts between the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners or the six Massachusetts Regional Library Systems and database vendors, such as Gale and Proquest®. In order to meet licensing requirements, MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES must ensure that you are in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a registered library user before you have access to these databases.
IPGeolocation
For selected statewide products, MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES uses a technique called IP Geolocation to determine that the computer you are using is currently within Massachusetts. Depending on the type of Internet access you have, a licensed IP Geolocation service provider provides MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES the approximate location (within a 10-15 mile radius) of your computer. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not store any information from the IP Geolocation service, but uses information on your municipality to guide you to the appropriate point of access to statewide database content.
Library Card Numbers
MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES authenticates and authorizes you based on your library card number or your institutional library id. Once MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES has determined that you are a registered borrower of a library, college, or school that is a member of one of the six Massachusetts Regional Library Systems, you are forwarded to the commercial database resource. A MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES session management database retains your library card number and the time that you connected to Commercial databases. It does not record either the particular database that you use or the subject of your search. No other personally identifiable information is stored. The information stored in this session database is not used in any other way. The MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES remote access logs retain only enough information to identify the library/institution to which you belong and the time that you logged on. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not pass on your library card/user id to the commercial database vendor servers. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES will pass your library card number into the Statewide Virtual Catalog, since this information is necessary for you to request materials through that system. MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES does not retain any information about you that may be a part of your library record on your home library system.
Contact Form
If you send us a message via email the message will be forwarded to the mailbox of a member of the Board of Library Commissioners staff. In the case of reference or information requests, your message may be forwarded to professional library staff, usually the Boston Public Library, which is the Statewide Reference and Referral Center. Your message may be retained. Reference inquiries will be treated as confidential under Chapter 78 sect. 7 of the General Laws of Massachusetts.
Changes
Changes to the MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES Privacy Policy will be approved by the Director of the Board of Library Commissioners. Notice of changes will be posted to public library directors and member of the Massachusetts Regional Library systems by email distribution lists. 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.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about the MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARIES privacy policy, please contact:
Paul Kissman, Library Information Systems Specialist
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington St., Suite 401
Boston, MA 02114
email: paul.kissman@state.ma.us |
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