The Library will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, in observance of Christmas Eve
and will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, in observance of Christmas.

Online Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us. The purpose of this statement is to define the Los Angeles Public Library’s policy with regards to the collection and use of personally identifiable information (PII - any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual who is the subject of the information).

Information Collected

The Los Angeles Public Library collects two kinds of user information – Anonymous Information and Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Anonymous information is information that does not identify specific individuals and is automatically transmitted by your browser. This information can consist of:

  • The URL (Uniform Resource Locator or address) of the web page you previously visited
  • The domain names and/or IP addresses which are numbers that are automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are connected to the internet
  • The browser version you are using to access the site

This information is used to help improve our website. None of the information can be linked to any individual.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is information that could include:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Credit/debit card information
  • Library card number

The library will make every reasonable effort to protect your privacy. It restricts access to your personally identifiable information to those employees that will respond to your request. The library does not intentionally disclose any personal information about our users to any third parties inside or outside the library except as required by law.

The library only collects personally identifiable information that is required to provide service. You can decline to provide us with any personal information on any site on the internet at any time. However, if you should choose to withhold requested information, we may not be able to provide you with the online services dependent upon the collection of that information.

How we use information collected on lapl.org for digital advertising of library services

We utilize third-party tools for outreach

Our team and affiliates use third-party web services to conduct outreach and education through the use of digital advertising for the Los Angeles Public Library initiatives. These third-party services may collect information through the use of web beacons that are located on our pages. A web beacon is a see-through graphic image (usually 1 pixel x 1 pixel) that is placed on a web page and, in combination with a cookie, allows us to collect information regarding the use of the web page that contains the web beacon.

We use web beacons to tell when a user is redirected to lapl.org because of an advertisement that we ran on another website was clicked on or otherwise interacted with (known as “click tracking” or “conversion tracking”) and to better target our advertisements (known as “retargeting”) to inform citizens about Los Angeles Public Library initiatives and the benefits available through lapl.org. See Digital Advertising Tools for Outreach and Education below for more information on how these tools work.

The library uses the Google Adwords and Facebook Ads, amongst other third-party tools to help deliver targeted information. Vendors that operate the third-party tools may also gather information about your visits to third-party sites outside of lapl.org. However, while lapl.org does not track your individual-level activity on the internet outside of lapl.org, our vendors may collect information automatically collected by lapl.org (not information you provide), and combine it with data they collect elsewhere for targeted advertising purposes. You can opt out of this type of data collection via Ad Choices, Do Not Track, Network Advertising Alliance, Google Ad Settings, SnapChat Ad Preferences, and Facebook Ad Preferences Panel. Use these websites to handle tracking and data collection and to find methods to opt out of this type of collection. The outreach and education analytics tools provide reports which aggregate data such as the number of clicks on advertisements. The reports are available only to library employees, teams who implement the initiative programs represented on lapl.org, members of the lapl.org communications and web teams, and other designated state and city staff and contractors who need this information to perform their duties.

How we use cookies and other technologies on lapl.org

When you visit a website, its server may generate a piece of text known as a "cookie" to place on your device. The cookie, which is unique to your browser, allows the server to "remember" specific information about your visit while you are connected. The cookie makes it easier for you to use the dynamic features of web pages. Information that you enter into the application is not associated with cookies on lapl.org. Depending on the third-party tool’s business practices, privacy policies, terms of service, and/or the privacy settings you selected, the information you have provided to third parties could be used to identify you when you visit lapl.org. These third parties do not/will not share your identity with lapl.org.

There are two types of cookies, single session (temporary), and multi-session (persistent). Single session cookies last only as long as your web browser is open. Once you close your browser, the session cookie disappears. Persistent cookies are stored on your device for longer periods. Both types of cookies create an ID that is unique to your device.

Session Cookies - we use session cookies for technical purposes such as to allow better navigation through our site. These cookies let our server know that you are continuing a visit to our site.

Persistent Cookies - we use persistent cookies to understand the differences between new and returning visitors to lapl.org. Persistent cookies remain on your device between visits to our site until they expire or are removed by the user. We do not use persistent cookies to collect personally identifiable information. The website does not identify a user by using such technologies.

The website also uses the following technologies:

Persistent Cookies for Digital Advertising - similar to persistent cookies identified above, lapl.org uses persistent cookies for outreach through digital advertising. These cookies can also be created on third-party sites and remain on your device between visits to our site until they expire or are removed by you. Consistent with OMB guidance for “Usage Tier 2”, we do not use persistent cookies for outreach to collect personally identifiable information. lapl.org does not identify a user by using such technologies.

Web Beacons for Digital Advertising - also referred to as pixels and\or tracking tags – see-through images placed on certain pages of lapl.org are typically used in conjunction with cookies and are not stored on your device. When you access these pages, web beacons generate a notice of your visit. See the section How we use information collected on lapl.org.org for digital advertising of library services for information on how we use web beacons.

Digital Advertising Tools for Outreach and Education

The website uses third-party tools to support our digital advertising outreach and education efforts. These tools enable the library to reach new people and provide information to previous visitors. In order to use these tools, we use the following technologies on lapl.org.

Click Tracking - lapl.org uses click tracking to identify the ads that are most helpful to consumers and efficient for outreach. This enables lapl.org to improve the performance of ads that consumers click on. When users click on links from ads, data about what ad was viewed is collected. Reports are generated about ad performance – including the total number of views and clicks an ad received.

Conversion Tracking - lapl.org uses conversion tracking to identify ads that are helpful to consumers and efficient for outreach. It enables lapl.org to improve the performance of ads viewed by consumers. When an ad is viewed on a third-party site (e.g. a banner ad), a cookie is placed in the browser of the device the ad was viewed on. If this device later visits lapl.org, the visit is linked to the ad viewed on the same device. Use the lapl.org privacy manager to opt-out of advertising tools. Users can click on the “AdChoices” Icon in the corner of our Ads to opt-out of this Ad Targeting. Users who have set their browser to “Do Not Track” will automatically be opted out of conversion tracking. For more information about AdChoices and Do Not Track, see paragraph 3 of the How we use information collected on lapl.org for digital advertising of library services section.

Re-targeting - lapl.org uses retargeting to provide information to consumers who have previously visited lapl.org such as reminders about free services they’ve expressed interest in by clicking or engaging with one of our advertisements. Retargeting enables lapl.org to improve the performance of ads by delivering them to relevant audiences such as recent visitors to lapl.org. During a visit to lapl.org, a cookie is placed in the browser of the devices used to view the site. When that same device is used to visit third-party sites that are displaying lapl.org ads, ads for lapl.org may be shown to that device because it had previously visited lapl.org. Using these cookies, lapl.org does not collect information about the third-party sites visited by a device. Reports are generated about ad performance – including the total number of views and clicks an ad received. Users can click on the “AdChoices” Icon in the corner of our Ads to opt-out of this Ad Targeting. Users who have set their browser to “Do Not Track” will automatically be opt-out of conversion tracking. For more information about AdChoices and Do Not Track, see paragraph 3 of the How we use information collected on lapl.org for digital advertising of Library services section.

Targeted Advertising - lapl.org uses third-party vendors to engage in targeted advertising (also known as online behavioral or interest-based advertising) to provide information to consumers across their online activities. Targeted advertising involves the collection of data from a particular computer or device. Data regarding web viewing behaviors or application use is gathered to predict user preferences or interests. lapl.org can have ads delivered to computers or devices based on the preferences or interests inferred from the web viewing behaviors or application use.

Third-party vendors engaged by lapl.org may also target advertising based on information automatically collected (not information you provide) when you browse the library website or other websites on the internet. You can opt out this type of data collection via our Ad Choices, and Do Not Track,  see paragraph 3 of the How we use information collected on lapl.org for digital advertising of library services section.

The library may consider new third-party tools or the use of new third-party websites, but will first assess the tools or websites before it is used in connection with lapl.org and update this policy as needed.

Access to Personally Identifiable Information

Access to personally identifiable information in public records at state and local levels of government in Los Angeles is controlled primarily by the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250, et seq.). Information that is generally available under the Public Records Act may be posted for electronic access through the library's website. While the Public Records Act sets the general policies for access to records, other sections of California code, as well as federal laws, also deal with confidentiality issues.

Email Addresses

Email addresses obtained through the website will not be sold or given to other private companies for marketing purposes. The information collected is subject to the access and confidentiality provisions of the Public Records Act, other applicable sections of the California code as well as federal laws. Email or other information requests sent to the library’s website may be maintained in order to respond to the request, communicate updates about the library that may be of interest to users, or to provide the library’s web team with valuable customer feedback to assist in improving the site. Individuals can cancel any communications regarding new service updates at any time.

Cookies

Some library applications use "cookies." A cookie is a small data file that certain websites write to your hard drive when you visit them. A cookie file can contain information such as a user id that the site uses to track the pages you have visited. But the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply yourself. Cookies can track user traffic patterns, recognize your computer's browser when you return and could provide personalized content without requiring sign-in. You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser. However, they may be required to use some of the web applications on the library's site.

The library uses Google Analytics and Hotjar cookies to analyze data about website traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. The library may also use the Google Analytics Display Advertising feature used to provide Demographics and Interest Reporting. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes. You may opt out of our use of Google Analytics by visiting the Google Analytics opt-out website and installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. You may opt out of our use of Hotjar by visiting their website.

Minor's Privacy Policy

Any information collected by any library site from children under 13 are subject to the same guidelines as the general library privacy policy. In addition, the following guidelines will be followed for any information collected by or for any child under 13:

  • Information that could be collected from or for a minor includes but might not be limited to name, address, telephone number, email address, school, and hobbies.
  • Parental consent will be obtained before collecting, using or disclosing personal information about a child.
  • If any information practices change in a "material" way, new consent will be obtained from the parents. This includes changes in the kinds of material being collected, a change in how that information is being used, or if there is a change in the third parties that have access to that information.
  • Parents will be able to review the personal information collected from their children which includes verification of the identity of the requesting parent. See individual requests for information for specifics.
  • Parents will be allowed to revoke their consent and delete information collected from or for their children on request. When consent is revoked, the website will stop collecting, using or disclosing information from or for that child. Revocation may end a child's participation in an activity if the information collected was necessary for participation on the website.
  • Additional information can be obtained at the FTC's Consumer Response Center and the Children’s Privacy websites.

Security

The Los Angeles Public Library is committed to data security and the data quality of personally identifiable information that is either available from or collected by our website and has taken reasonable precautions to protect such information from loss, misuse or alteration.

The library operates "secure data networks" protected by industry standard firewalls and password protection systems. Only authorized individuals have access to the information provided by our users.

When a library application accepts credit cards or any other particularly sensitive information for any of its services, it encrypts all ordering information, such as your name and credit card number, in order to protect its confidentiality.

Non-Library Websites

Non-library websites may be linked through the library's website. Many non-library sites may or may not be subject to the Public Records Act and may or may not be subject to other sections of California Code or federal law. Visitors to such sites are advised to check the privacy statements of such sites and to be cautious about providing personally identifiable information without a clear understanding of how the information will be used.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy, send us an email using our online form.

Last modified: March 2018

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