The Hammond Public Library is committed to protecting the privacy of its web site visitors and users.
When you visit the Library’s web site, we collect and store only information to measure the number of visitors to different areas of our site to assist us in making our sites more useful to you. This information includes the IP address of your computer or Internet provider, the date and time you accessed our site, the name of each page that you view, and the address of external web sites accessed from our web site.
We ask visitors to our site to provide their email address, postal address, telephone number, library card number or other personal information only when needed to assist in answering inquiries, providing information, or providing services such as our electronic newsletter or renewing materials online.
We will not sell, lease or otherwise distribute or disclose your email address, postal address, phone number, borrowing records or other personal information for non-library purposes to outside parties unless required by law.
We will never disclose a child’s personal information without written approval from a parent or legal guardian. We will only display on our site a child’s first name, last initial, location and/or age on any web page unless expressly instructed by the parent or guardian otherwise.
The Library’s web site uses “cookies” to allow access to certain functions (such as the online catalog). These cookie files do not capture any personal user information (such as email addresses or user passwords). Temporary cookie files are automatically deleted when you close your browser.
Some of the Library web pages contain links to external sites not maintained by the Library. The Library cannot be responsible for your privacy when you disclose information to outside web sites. It is your responsibility to protect your personal information.
Library staff will not assist you when providing personal information such as financial or credit card numbers on a web site. This is to protect your information.
Users are advised that information created, sent or received may be subject to monitoring and auditing.
Email and instant message requests such as those for “Ask the Librarian” or “Contact Us” will be retained only until statistical information is gathered, then deleted.
Patron information available via our online catalog is accessible only after the patron’s name and library card number is entered. Patrons are encouraged not to divulge their library card number to people other than library staff.
From time to time our site may request information from users via surveys or contests. Participation in these surveys or contests is completely voluntary and you therefore have a choice whether or not to disclose this information. Information requested may include contact and/or demographic information. Contact information will be used to notify contest winners.