Library policies

Libraries privacy notice

Coventry City Council complies with the Data Protection Act and the UK GDPR and is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a Data Controller.

This Privacy Notice explains how personal information is going to be used, what for, who it will be shared with and why.

Why we collect and use Personal Data about you

When you ask to join the Library, we ask you to provide us with personal data so that we can grant access to the services you have signed up for.

We use this information to set up your library account so you can use the library facilities:

  • Assign you an appropriate borrower type, e.g. Child or Adult
  • Send you information relating to your account, e.g. notifications about requested or overdue items
  • Update you on circumstances e.g. a bookable event in the Library that has had to be cancelled
  • Enable us to carry out specific functions for which we are responsible
  • Assess the quality of our services
  • Evaluate and improve our performance
  • Derive statistics which inform decisions about future delivery of services

Library buildings employ CCTV to aid in the prevention and detection of criminal activities.

We process personal data because it is necessary to comply with our legal obligations of providing a Public Library Service (Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964)

What information do we collect about you?

  • Title
  • Full name
  • Address
  • Contact Details including phone number and e-mail address
  • Date of Birth
  • Parent/guardian/carer details – if appropriate
  • Library borrowing history
  • CCTV image

Who we share your personal data with

We will share data with:

  • Insight Media – This is a company we work with to help us manage booking public computers in our Libraries
  • Police, Schools and Coventry City Council Departments for the prevention and detection of crime

How long will we keep your information?

We only keep information about you in order to process your membership of the Library Service. This is initially for a period of up to four years but will be extended if your membership is renewed

CCTV images are kept for a period of 30 days

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  1. Ask to see the personal information we hold about you
  2. Ask us to change information we hold about you if it is wrong
  3. Ask us to delete the information we hold about you
  4. Ask us to limit the way we use your personal information
  5. Ask for human intervention regarding decisions made about you by a computer
  6. Data portability (have your data transferred to another Authority)
  7. Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office

To exercise any of these rights please contact Coventry Libraries and Information Service and/or email Libraries247@coventry.gov.uk

Complaints

You have the right to submit a complaint if you are unhappy with the way your request is handled or disagree with a decision made by the council regarding your data. In these circumstances, you can contact the Data Protection Team (DPO) and request a review of the decision.

If you are not satisfied with any outcome from the DPO you may wish to apply to the Information Commissioner’s Office at:

The Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.

Date of last review: August 2024

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