How does the library handle personal data and what does it use it for? How does it protect it? This article provides basic answers to these questions. Those interested will find complete information on the protection of personal data used by the Municipal Library of Prague in the Library Rules.
How the library handles personal data
The Municipal Library of Prague processes personal data of its users when it needs it to provide its services. When processing data, we maintain compliance with the legislation of the European Union and the related legislation of the Czech Republic.
The library is a public space and its services can be used by anyone. The basic document regulating the rights and obligations of the library and its users is the Library Rules. It also sets out specific conditions for using individual services.
Data for providing (better) services
To provide certain services, the library needs to know the basic information about the person who wants to use these services. These are mainly borrowing documents outside the library premises (so-called off-site loans) and related services (administration of the reader's account, reservations, borrowing history), but also some services provided directly in the library premises (space reservation, registration for an event with a limited number of participants) or online (access to the database of works not available on the market).
For these purposes, the library keeps a record of the reader's name, date of birth, address and identity card details. In the case of children under the age of 15, we then need the same information from their legal representative. This data is processed mainly for the protection of the library fund, which is imposed on the library by the Library Act No. 259/2001 Coll.
The library also processes information about the fact that the reader is a holder of a Disabled Persons' Identity Card (ZTP/ZTP-P pass) in case the reader wishes to benefit from associated benefits (e.g. free membership or a longer borrowing period).
We use contact information (e-mail address, phone number) to communicate more effectively with readers and to inform them about the status of their reader account, fulfilled reservations, or new services and library events. Readers using their reader account can set which messages they want to receive from the library by email. We use the reader's postal address if the reader wishes to be notified of the completed reservation in this way, but also if it is necessary to remind him/her of unreturned loans.
The library keeps a history of loans and records on the use of the reader's card and the movement of the library unit in case of resolving disputes and also for an overview of the reader's history. In case the reader does not wish to keep the borrowing history, he/she can request its deletion in person at the library or delete it himself/herself through his/her reader account.
Based on the knowledge of users who use the library regularly, and their needs, we can develop our services. Data from borrowing activities can be used, for example, to develop the library network, adjust opening hours or purchase new documents.
CCTV recordings
Libraries can be equipped with a CCTV monitoring system to provide better security for less visible areas. Such branches are marked with a camera pictogram on the front door and the information is included in the branch profile at www.mlp.cz/en/branches.
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Where you find your data
A preview of most of the personal data that the library stores about readers is offered by the online reader account, which is available to every reader after logging (username, password) on the library's website www.mlp.cz/en. The reader account offers not only a listing of personal information (identification and contact details), but also an overview of current borrowings, loan history since the beginning of membership, payment details including payment history, information on deposits and reservations made, and other information (purchased/ordered tickets).
The reader has the right to request access to his/her personal data processed by the library, this statement can also be obtained in electronic form. We will provide the first extract free of charge within one month after receiving the request and verifying the necessary applicant's identity. Requests are handled by the library's legal department.
Timeliness and adjustment of personal data
The library tries to keep the stored personal data up to date and therefore asks about its timeliness when a library card is renewed in person. Readers are kindly requested to notify the library of any change in their personal information during their next personal visit. Readers can adjust certain personal data themselves in their reader account (contact address, e-mail, telephone).
Please note that some messages are only sent electronically by the library. These include notifications of the approaching end of the loan period, invitations to events or automatic confirmation of book returns. Therefore, we can only send you these messages if we have your correct e-mail address.
How long we store data
We retain data for the duration of the reader's membership. Your membership will expire if you have not used the library services or logged in to your reader account for more than a year, and at the same time a year has passed since the last day your card was valid.
We will not delete your personal information if we record a debt on your account.
Upon termination of membership, the library anonymises the data, which means that it deletes all data used to identify the reader, so that the remaining data cannot be associated with the reader. However, the library can continue to use such anonymised data for statistical purposes.
The reader can request anonymisation even earlier if he/she no longer wishes to use the library's services.
We keep data on monetary transactions between the MLP and the reader for a period of 5 years. Data from the CCTV system is usually kept by the library for 3 days after recording. If a branch is open in self-service mode for at least part of the operating hours, it retains the data for a week. If an incident that needs to be investigated has been captured, it keeps the data for the time necessary for such investigation.
Processing by other entities
The library processes personal data of its registered users in its own library system Koniáš, and therefore does not pass it on to anyone for administration purposes. We transfer personal data to the collection company for the purpose of debt collection, but the potential debtor is always notified of this well in advance. In some cases, we use the services of other providers, such as the Colosseum reservation system or Google's online services for registering for library events. Personal data processed by the library electronically may be sent by the library to others at the reader's express request and after verification of the reader's identity, according to the reader's personal wishes.
Personal data under control
The library secures the data it administers, but you can also contribute to its security by your responsible behaviour. Do not share your account login information with others. Choose a password according to the recommendations for a secure password.
Personal data protection in the Czech Republic
As a member state of the European Union, the Czech Republic is obliged to respect the uniform legislation of the European Union. To protect personal data, this is currently in particular the Regulation 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, also known as GDPR , which is effective from 25 May 2018. Supervision of compliance with the Regulation is vested in the Office for Personal Data Protection, which can be contacted in the event of a complaint, query or investigation of ambiguities. However, we will be glad if you first contact the Legal Department of the Municipal Library of Prague with regard to a complaint about your personal data.