It is a key role of the ɬ Libraries to protect patron information and empower patrons to make informed decisions about their actions regarding privacy. The Libraries are a place where people can search for and share information freely, knowing their personal information is protected and confidential. ɬ Libraries & Archives value and protect your privacy. The purpose of this statement is to help you understand how the Libraries gather and use patron data.
Websites
The following outlines the information gathering practices of the ɬ Libraries for these websites: mcgill.ca/libraries, mcgill.on.worldcat.org and any other servers running publicly-accessible library services.
The personal information you provide via web forms and email is always kept confidential. Examples of this type of transaction include but are not limited to, registering for a Libraries workshop, or making a purchase request. This information is used solely for the purposes of delivering the requested service or product, or contacting you should an issue arise. We never collect information for commercial marketing purposes.
If you visit the Libraries website, read pages, and download information, we automatically collect and store the information usually logged by web servers, including client IP address, request date/time, page requested, and the pages you visit. This information is always collected in aggregate and does not identify you personally.
When you run searches in the Libraries catalogue via the Sofia Discovery Tool, those searches are collected only in aggregate by our provider, , meaning that individual searches are not personally identifiable.
We use Google Analytics, a web analysis service, to help analyze how visitors use the Libraries website and catalogue. Google collects, organizes, and provides visualizations of anonymized data gathered during a user’s browsing session. Data may include navigation patterns (including links clicked and pages visited), region of origin (based on IP), traffic source (ex. referrals), language preference, browser type, and screen size. The tool uses “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form. The Libraries use this information to better understand how visitors use the Libraries website and to improve services. Searches are not personally identifiable.
Library records
Circulation data about the borrowing and use of materials from the Libraries' collection is completely confidential, and in most cases is kept for a maximum of five months. You may request information about your recent borrowing history from the staff at the Information Desk. Other records of patron interactions are also confidential, and may include: transactions of fines and fees, and reference transactions (written, phone, or email). The Libraries data necessary to provide consortium services (i.e. network borrowing) can be accessed by any BCI institution through the shared platform.
Third party resources
The ɬ Libraries provides its users with access to many electronic resources (article databases, e-book platforms, etc.) hosted by third parties (external organizations), and it is important to note that these resources may have different policies with respect to data collection and sharing. If you are concerned about the privacy implications of using a third party resource, be sure to read its associated privacy policy.
ɬ Privacy Notice
ɬ’s central Privacy Notice provides useful information about the use of Google Analytics and Hotjar on ɬ websites.
Questions?
If you have questions or concerns about this statement or any of the procedures and practices described here, please contact the Library Technology department at: lt.library [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Privacy%20statement) (lt[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca).