MLA Online Privacy Statement

Last Updated 4/20/17

This online privacy statement explains how MLA collects, uses, and safeguards information you provide through its website.

Scope of the Online Privacy Policy
This policy applies to your use of the www.MLANET.org and www.MEDLIB-ED.org websites (MLA Sites), which are operated by or on behalf of MLA. This policy does not apply to your use of other websites to which MLA Sites may link.

Information Collection
Most data MLA collects are used only to help us better serve our members and the health science library community. It is our policy to collect and store only information that our members and visitors provide.

From General Users.
MLA does not collect personal information from casual users browsing MLA sites, except through specific feedback forms. Completion of these forms is optional.


What information we collect:
We collect information in the following ways:

  • Active collection: information you provide to us when signing in to MLA. When creating an MLA account or signing-up for content or offers, we ask you to provide us with your name, email address and optional details about your organization, including communication opt-out information. We use this information to provide you with the service that you signed-up for and how we use the contact details you have provided us. For information on how to deactivate your account and/or unsubscribe or opt out from receiving content or offers, please contact us.
  • Passive collection: information which is automatically collected while navigating through and interacting with the content on our site as well as information on your device or computer (such as cookies).
  • We collect general information about your device, location, and browser to improve your experience when using our site and web services. We also collect (in aggregate and anonymized) information about pages you accessed on our site and other details about your visit.
    • Cookies
    • Our website uses cookies to collect non-personal information including standard internet log information. We do this to provide you with a better experience, identify preferences, diagnose technical problems, analyze trends and to improve our website.
    • We may also use cookies to record login details on your device or computer. This helps to determine whether a particular device previously visited our website so that the login details would not have to be re-entered each time you visit.
    • Third Party Services
    • MLA uses a variety of services hosted by third parties, such as Google Analytics and OpenTracker. These services may collect information sent by your browser as part of a web page request, such as cookies or your IP. For information on how Google Analytics and OpenTracker collect and use your information, please refer to their privacy policies. By using MLA, you consent to the processing of data by these third parties in accordance with their privacy policies. MLA does not permit the use or sharing of your personal information except as necessary to complete financial transaction.

Aggregate data are only used for internal and marketing purposes and do not provide any personally identifying information.

From logged-in MLA Members, Conference Registrants, and Customers. We may periodically collect additional website data from our logged-in users to improve our services or website navigation. Such information remains confidential to MLA Headquarters and will never be released except as aggregate data. Additionally, for some emails sent in HTML format by MLA to its members through its email discussion lists and electronic newsletters, MLA may monitor whether a recipient subsequently clicks through to links provided in the message in order to enhance our products and the distribution of those products to our members.

Information Uses
▪ MLA may provide the name and physical mailing address or public email address of members, registrants, or attendees to not-for-profit educational organizations, librarian researchers, or other MLA units for use in encouraging participation in Continuing Education (CE) programs, conducting research, or offering specific profession-related materials. Use of members’ information is governed by specific license agreements made with MLA to ensure protection of user data.
▪ Membership, guest, and meeting registration lists that include the names and physical mailing addresses are available for single use rental to exhibitors and vendors. You may opt out of allowing us to provide information to exhibitors or vendors in your profile or at time of meeting registration. In addition, you may decide to provide certain information, including your name, physical address, and telephone, by allowing meeting exhibitors to scan your annual meeting badge.

Retaining Personal Information
The MLA retains personal information regarding members indefinitely and personal customer data for at least five years as dictated by business and legal requirements.

Credit Card Account Information
Financial information you provide to MLA, such as credit card numbers, will be used only for billing purposes, to fill orders, to provide services, and for meeting(s) registration(s). This information is not stored on our servers or accessible to us after the completion of a transaction. Any physical transmission of credit card information is destroyed after we complete your authorized transaction.

For publication orders and for annual meeting(s) registration(s), this may involve you providing your credit card number securely through our designated business partners. Credit card numbers are only used to process the transactions you request.

Links to Other Sites
Users will find content on this Site that link to the sites of organizations that have resources for the purposes of education and information in connection with the MLA. We do not control the contents or links that appear on these sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third party sites or services before providing any of them with your personal information.

Disclaimer Notice
This Site and the information it contains are provided as a service by the MLA. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

Limitations of Liability
THE MLA MAKES NO CLAIMS, PROMISES OR GUARANTEES ABOUT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR ADEQUACY OF THE CONTENTS OF ITS SITE AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS IN THE CONTENTS OF THIS SITE. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, IMPLIED, EXPRESSED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM COMPUTER VIRUS, IS GIVEN WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS OF THIS WEB SITE OR ITS HYPERLINKS TO OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES. REFERENCE IN THIS WEB SITE TO ANY SPECIFIC COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, OR SERVICES, OR THE USE OF ANY TRADE, FIRM OR CORPORATION NAME IS FOR THE INFORMATION AND CONVENIENCE OF THE PUBLIC, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OR RECOMMENDATION BY MLA.

Opt Out
You may opt-out of receiving email communications by following the opt-out instructions included in email messages you receive from us, or you can set you opt-out options in your online profile. You may also contact us at websupport@mail.mlahq.org with a request to opt out of specific MLA or vendor communications.

Correcting and Updating Personal Information
MLA encourages members to update and correct their personal information regularly online.
Logged-in website users and members may update their personal information by visiting and editing their online profile, accessible by selecting "My Options" from the MLANET header area.

Changes to the Online Privacy Statement
As our organization, membership benefits, and data collection may change from time to time, this Online Privacy Statement is expected to change as well. We reserve the right to amend the online Privacy Statement at any time, for any reason. MLA will provide advance notice of Online Privacy Policy changes on it’s MLANET.org home page and in email messages to members, along with a date of official policy change.

Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns about this Online Privacy Statement, you can contact us at websupport@mail.mlahq.org. You can also send us mail at:

Medical Library Association
ATTN: Webmaster
65 E. Wacker Place, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60601-7246