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Library Service Privacy Notice

How we use your personal information for Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service purposes 

The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them.  Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with. 

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service purposes. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice.

1.    Who we are, what we do.

The Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service is responsible for the provision of a public library service for persons living, working or studying in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The Library Service currently consists of:
  

  • 3 Area Libraries (Aberdare, Pontypridd, Treorchy) 
  • 10 Branch Libraries (Abercynon, Church Village, Ferndale, Hirwaun, Llantrisant, Mountain Ash, Pontyclun, Porth, Rhydyfelin, Tonypandy) 
  • 3 Mobile libraries providing day-time, evening and weekend provision 
  • A housebound and specialist service for people who are unable to leave their homes or who have disabilities that require specific provision (such as Alternative reading group provision for people with sight difficulties) 
  • An Information, Reference and Local Studies service that supports the digitisation and online provision of local history resources, family history and research enquiries 
  • A  Schools Library Service that provides primary schools with a comprehensive range of resources, linked to the national curriculum and organises a range of activities for children and young people relating to promoting their literacy and interest in books and the written word 
  • Deposit collections of books are located at specific venues across the county including Integrated Children’s centres and Residential Homes.
2.  What and whose personal information we hold?

 

We hold information about service users.
The types of information we hold and process will typically include:

  • Name, address, telephone number, email address and date of birth
  • Records of items you have borrowed.
  • Any charges incurred.
  • Home delivery requests.
  • Item requests.
  • Language preference, Welsh or English
  • Anyone who wishes to use public access computers must read and accept the Libraries Conditions of Use. RCT Libraries will automatically keep a log of the use of public access computers and reserves the right to view this log. 

3. Where does the service get my information from?

  • Information provided directly by the data subject on an application form
  • Information generated by the service during the management of your library account. For example:
    • Financial information, charges incurred
    • Loan History
    • Item request history

4. What we will do with your personal information?

Your personal information will be used for membership records to provide services you have subscribed to and as identification when you contact us. We may occasionally use your personal details to contact you by an agreed method (e.g. post, email, text or telephone).
 
Personal information is also used for statistical analysis and to monitor, evaluate and improve services. Demographic information and statistics about user behaviour may be collected in order to analyse the popularity and effectiveness of library services. Any disclosure of this information will be in aggregate form and will not identify individual users.
 
 5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?

We need to process your personal information to satisfy our statutory duty to provide a   ‘comprehensive and efficient library service’  under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
 
 6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?

We may share your information with partner organisations, including our Library Management Systems supplier, but this will only be in the context of administering the system.
 
In normal circumstance we would not share your information with organisations other than our partner organisations without your consent; however, there may be certain circumstances where we would share without consent. For example where we are required to do so by law or to safeguard public safety. In circumstances such as this only the minimum information for the purpose will be shared.
 
 7.    How long will my information be kept?

We will only keep your personal information for as long as we need it to administer your Library membership. In practise this means that your personal information may be retained for the length of your library membership, currently three years.
 
In some instances your personal information may need to be retained beyond this period, if for example outstanding charges are present on your account at the end of your membership.
 
 8. Your information, your rights

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.
 
View further details on your information rights and how to exercise them
 
 9. Contact us

If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service using your   personal information please contact us in one of the following ways:

  • By email : Treorchy.Library@rctcbc.gov.uk
  • By telephone : 01443 773204
  • In writing : Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service, Treorchy Library, Station Road, Treorchy, CF42 6NN