Libraries privacy notice

Find out about the library service privacy notice here.

Who will own my data once I submit it?

Knowsley Library Service

Why do you need my information?

When you ask to join the library, we ask you to give us your name, date of birth and contact details so that we can provide the services you sign up to.

This would include borrowing items we loan out, or to use computers at the library.

Where an email address is provided at registration, and you tick the box “I would like to be kept informed by email about what’s going on in libraries for adults, children and families”, we may use this address to provide information about library services that may be of interest to you.

You can opt out of this at any time by contacting us at yourlibrary@knowsley.gov.uk

What personal information do we collect?

In order for Knowsley Library Service to offer support within Knowsley we may collect all, or some, of the following information from you:

  • Personal details (e.g. your name, date of birth etc.).
  • Contact details (e.g. home address, phone number, email address).
  • Borrowing history (books borrowed, books returned).
  • Which library you have used.
  • Financial details for payments made by you to the library service, debts owed by you to the library service and payments waived.
  • PC usage information.
  • Disability information.
  • Ethnicity information.

We will only process medical information in the event of reporting an accident through our Health & Safety portal. Further information about how Health & Safety process your information can be found on the council Privacy Notice page.

What allows you to use my information?

All organisations must inform you of the legal basis for processing your information. Within the parenting service we collect and use your personal information to carry out tasks to comply with our service obligations. We rely on the following lawful bases:

The Data Protection Act 2018, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

Article (6)(1)(e) - Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Any special category personal data is processed (e.g. collected, shared, stored etc.) in line with Article 9(2)(g) of the UK GDPR, which states that processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

The relevant processing conditions under the Data Protection Act 2018 are as follows:

  • Paragraph 6, statutory and government purposes.
  • Paragraph 8, equality of opportunity or treatment.
  • Paragraph 16, support for individuals with a particular disability or medical condition.
  • Our public task lawful bases for processing are supported by the following legislation: Public Libraries and Museum Act 1964
  • Public Library Byelaws (made under section 19 of the public Libraries and Museum Act 1964

Who we share your information with?

We will share data with:

PTFS Europe – This is a company we work with to help us manage our customer memberships and library catalogue.

Insight Media – This is a company we work with to help us manage booking public computers in our libraries.

Borrowbox – This is a company we work with to provide you with eBooks.

Do I have to provide this information and what will happen if I don’t?

Knowsley libraries have a lawful basis to hold your membership details as the information is required for us to complete a public task, specifically the loaning of council assets to a library member. A name and contact details such as phone number are required to ensure the return of items loaned. Free loaning of books is a statutory requirement of all public libraries under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. Contact details will not be shared with third parties, nor used for any purposes other than those required to maintain the services delivered by us. We may contact you to provide information regarding your account or the services that we provide. If you do not wish to share your personal information with us, then you are still able to visit our libraries, but you won’t be able to borrow any library materials nor use the computers.

How long we keep your information for and why?

We only keep information about you in order to process your membership of the Library Service.
Membership data will be removed completely if not used for a period of three years, unless there is any financial penalty attached to the record (i.e. moneys owed for damaged or lost items) In these cases, membership details will remain on the system until such financial penalty is resolved.

IT digital support

If you would like assistance from our digital buddies, we ask that you provide your name and contact details so that we can then contact you directly to discuss how best we can help and to make an appointment at your nearest branch. This information will only be used for this purpose and won’t be shared with any third-party organisation nor retained for any longer than one month after the appointment.

PC management system

When accessing our public PCs, customers log in using their unique ID and pin. The PC management system (ICAM) does not hold a customer record as such but authenticates each user via our library management system over an encrypted connection. ICAM however does record transaction history which is identifiable via customer ID. Data held includes:

  • Date and time logged in.
  • Length of user session
  • Internet history – list of sites accessed. This is automatically collated by our IT department but only ever accessed should we suspect that inappropriate sites have been accessed on our PCs, or if details are requested by the police. This data can only be requested by a designated senior member of staff who then analyses the data and acts accordingly based upon findings. IT holds this data for a period of 12 months.

Any user data is pseudonymised after a 12-month period. All transaction data is held for a three-year period and is then confidentially destroyed.

Insight Media will retain the Borrower Number of session information for Audit and traceability purposes. Data is then completely erased after the three-year period.

How will my information be stored?

All customer data is stored electronically. If a customer joined by completing the paper form, then once this is checked and inputted into the electronic system then this form is disposed and destroyed using the confidential waste bins.

Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?

No

Will my data be transferred abroad and why?

No

What rights do I have when it comes to my data?

Under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018/ UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the following rights with regards to your personal data: -

  • The right to subject access – you have the right to see a copy of the personal data that the council holds about you and find out what it is used for.
  • The right to rectification – you have the right to ask the council to correct or remove any inaccurate data that we hold about you.
  • The right to erasure (right to be forgotten) you have the right to ask the council to remove data that we hold about you.
  • The right to restriction – you have the right to ask for your information to be restricted (locked down) on council systems.
  • The right to data portability – you have the right to ask for your data to be transferred back to you or to a new provider at your request.
  • The right to object – you have the right to ask the council to stop using your personal data or to stop sending you marketing information, or complain about how your data is used.
  • The right to prevent automated decision making – you have the right to ask the council to stop using your data to make automated decisions about you or to stop profiling your behaviour (where applicable)

To find out more about your rights under the DPA 2018/UK GDPR, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website.

To request a copy of your data or ask questions about how it is used, please submit your request to: -

Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Municipal Building
Archway Road
Huyton
Liverpool
L36 9YU
Or email: Inforights@knowsley.gov.uk

Who can I complain to if I am unhappy about how my data is used?

You can complain directly to the Council’s Data Protection Team by writing to: -

Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Municipal Building
Archway Road
Huyton
Liverpool
L36 9YU

Or email: data.protection.officer@knowsley.gov.uk

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office using the following details: -

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45

Website: www.ico.org.uk

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