Website User and Online Collections Privacy Policy
- Website User Privacy
Protecting our users’ personal information is important. We collect limited information obtained from website users in the following ways:
We collect an email address and name when you voluntarily provide it to obtain information from our website
We use personal information only for its intended purpose of providing information back to you concerning a specific request
We will not otherwise disclose personal information to outside parties, unless disclosure is required by law or court order or to protect the website itself
Automatically Collected Information
We strive to provide the best website experience for you. We automatically collect and store the following non-personally identifiable information:
The name of the domain (ex: Verizon.net, Comcast.net) used to access the internet
The internet protocol address, which can reveal cities, states, and countries where web visits originated
The date and time of each website visit
The URLs of pages visited and files downloaded from our websites, and related performance and reliability data
If present and available, the internet address of the website visited before a Library website
Characteristics of devices used to visit Forge Nano sites, such as operating system, web browser, and screen resolution, and
Search terms used to find our websites and used while on the websites (in aggregate only, not linked to the user).
This information allows us to improve website design, presentation and system performance. We collect this information from anyone who visits, browses, or downloads information from our websites.
Information Collected for Measurement and Customization (such as Cookies and Web Beacons)
To help provide website users with the best experience possible, we use commercial software to report and analyze aggregated web metrics data. The raw data is generally retained for five years to help improve website performance.
Our sites use four types of tools: session cookies, persistent cookies, web beacons, and other customization tools. “Cookies” are small files that websites transfer to users’ computers to allow the site to remember specific information. If you do not want cookies transferred to your computer, you may opt out by changing your browser options. Without cookies, most of our websites will continue to display normally, but certain features may not work as well or may be unavailable.
Session cookies do not contain personal information and disappear once the browser window is closed. We use session cookies for technical purposes such as to enable you to more easily navigate throughout the websites. Session cookies only collect non-personally identifiable data.
Persistent cookies store information on your computers for longer periods of time and across multiple visits. We do not use persistent cookies to collect personal identifiable information about users. However, we do use persistent cookies to improve web metrics by distinguishing between new and returning users, to anonymously aggregate data on how users use our websites, and to remember your voluntarily-provided preferences to create a smoother browsing experience.
Our websites and emails may use web beacons in conjunction with cookies to compile statistics about site usage. Web beacons are small pieces of code (also called pixels) that are embedded on the pages of websites or emails. We do not use web beacons to collect personal identifiable information about visitors. We may use these technical methods to analyze website performance and reliability data such as timing (e.g., page load) metrics on our sites. We may also use web beacons in HTML emails that we send subscribers who have opted in to receive email from us, to determine whether our recipients have opened those emails and/or clicked on links in those emails.
Customization tools allow you to voluntarily provide information to personalize and improve your online experience. Information from customization tools is retained.
Personal Information
Personal information may be required to use certain features of our websites, such as making a purchase from our online shop, submitting a request to the Ask a Librarian service, responding to a feedback form, or participating in blog discussions. If you choose to use those features, we will inform you what information is required, and we will only use that information for its stated purpose. If you provide the information requested, then you consent to our using the information for the stated purpose. If you do not provide the information then some website features may be unavailable. We may disclose your information to contractors and associates to carry out your requests (for example, to complete a pay.gov transaction).
How We Store your Personal Information
We have safeguards in place to protect the information we store, including only allowing access by designated staff and contractors that require access in order to perform their duties.
Child Privacy
We take children’s privacy seriously, and encourage parents to contact us with any questions or concerns via e-mail. Similarly, parents who would like to notify us of personally identifiable information collected from a child under the age of 13 that should be deleted should contact us using this form.
Third-Party Interactions
On its websites, Forge Nano may provide links to external websites as a convenience and for informational purposes only; links do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Forge Nano of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Forge Nano bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Other than these exceptions, and for authorized government law enforcement activities, we do not provide personal information to outside organizations without first obtaining your consent. The Library respects your personal data and takes care to maintain its confidentiality. If you have any questions about the Library’s Website Privacy Policy, please email privacy@loc.gov.
- Privacy in Online Collections Materials
Regardless of the format in which our collections materials are presented to users, all users are responsible for complying with all privacy and publicity rights, rules, and applicable laws when accessing and utilizing the collections.
Privacy and publicity rights are separate and distinct from copyright. Copyright is protected by federal law under the United States Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). Privacy laws may be governed by state and local laws, or by the laws of the locality from which you are accessing our websites. If you use materials from our collections, regardless of format, or from our websites, then you are responsible for determining whether there are privacy and publicity rights implications. Factors to consider include the type of materials and their intended use.
If you have a question about personal information in the collection, contact us using our contact form.
Last updated: April 3, 2023