Data retention policy

Membership data

We collect your data in order for us to provide you with library services. We do not collect more data than we require to provide you with those services. We will not contact you regarding matters other than those affecting your personal use of the Library without gaining your consent. We will dispose of your personal data when no longer required to supply you with Library services except where outstanding issues need to be resolved or there is a legal requirement for us to do so.

Students
Your data	Your personal data is uploaded from the Student Database to the Library System once your registration with the University is completed. Each night during your membership of the University your personal data is uploaded from the Student Database to the Library System to record any changes made to your data. Records of the use of your account (transaction data) are recorded on the Library System.
How we keep your data	Your personal and transaction data is held electronically on the Library System. The data is only accessible by Library staff.
How long we keep your data for	Student personal data is deleted within 12 weeks of the expiry of the student registration. Data for students who do not attend the beginning of their course is deleted after notification by the RISIS Office. Transaction data for Students are anonymised and kept indefinitely.
How can I have my data deleted?	Please email risis@reading.ac.uk to make your request to have your data deleted.

Staff
Your data	Your personal data is uploaded from the Human Resources Database to the Library System when a University IT username and password are created for a staff member. When changes are made to your data on the HR Database those changes will be uploaded to the Library System overnight. Records of the use of your account (transaction data) are recorded on the Library System.
How we keep your data	Your personal and transaction data is held electronically on the Library System. The data is only accessible by Library staff.
How long we keep your data for	Staff personal data is deleted within 90 days of the end of the contract of employment. Transaction data for Staff are anonymised and kept indefinitely.
How can I have my data deleted?	Please email imps@reading.ac.uk to make your request to have your data deleted.

Associate Members
Your data	Your personal data is entered onto the Library System from the information supplied on your application form. Records of the use of your account (transaction data) are recorded on the Library System.
How we keep your data	Your personal and transaction data is held electronically on the Library System. Content from online application forms is held in a secure computer file. When a paper membership form is used it is held securely in a back office location until the data can be transferred to the secure computer file. Your data is only accessible by Library staff.
How long we keep your data for	Associate Member personal data are deleted within 90 days of the end of Library membership. When a paper membership form is used it is disposed of securely as soon as the data has been transferred to the computer file. This is completed as soon as is reasonably possible. The paper form is then disposed of securely. Transaction data for Associate Members are anonymised and kept indefinitely.
How can I have my data deleted?	Please email library@reading.ac.uk to make your request to have your data deleted.

External Borrowers
Your data	Your personal data is entered onto the Library System from the information supplied on your application form. Records of the use of your account (transaction data) are recorded on the Library System.
How we keep your data	Your personal and transaction data is held electronically on the Library System. Content from online application forms is held in a secure computer file. When a paper membership form is used it is held securely in a back office location until the data can be transferred to the secure computer file. Your data is only accessible by Library staff.
How long we keep your data for	External borrower personal data are deleted within 90 days of the end of Library membership. When a paper membership form is used it is disposed of securely as soon as the data has been transferred to the computer file. This is completed as soon as is reasonably possible. The paper form is then disposed of securely. Transaction data for External borrowers are anonymised and kept indefinitely.
How can I have my data deleted?	Please email library@reading.ac.uk to make your request to have your data deleted.

Communication Data

Means of Communication	How we keep it	How long we keep it for
Emails sent to Library email account	Electronically on the library@reading.ac.uk email account	Emails are deleted after one year
Paper comments form	Topic of comment recorded anonymously in a secure electronic file. Paper form passed to Senior Manager for response then disposed of securely. Resulting email correspondence kept electronically in personal email accounts.	Anonymised topic - Indefinitely Paper form - disposed of within two weeks Emails - Indefinitely
Web forms	Electronically on the library@reading.ac.uk email account	Emails are deleted after one year
Library comments web form	Electronically in personal email accounts of the Library Experience & Engagement Manager and the University Librarian and potentially a relevant senior manager if passed to them for response. Topic of comment recorded anonymously in a secure file.	Emails - Indefinitely Anonymised topic - Indefinitely

Visitor data
Your data	Email correspondence during the booking process. Your personal data is entered into a secure computer file from the information supplied during the booking process. Your name and signature is held on a paper slip at the Welcome Desk when you sign out a guest campus card for the duration of your visit.
How we keep your data	Email correspondence about your booking is retained in the library@reading.ac.uk email account. Booking information is held electronically in a data file stored securely and only accessible to relevant Library staff. Guest card sign in slips are accessible by Library and University Security staff at the Welcome Desk during your visit.
How long we keep your data for	All email booking correspondence will be deleted after one calendar year. Information stored electronically is kept for one calendar year, after which time all data is anonymised and kept indefinitely for statistical purposes. Guest card sign in slips are disposed of securely within one working day of the card being returned to us.
How can I have my data deleted?	Please email library@reading.ac.ukto make your request to have your data deleted.

FAQs

What is personal data and why do you keep it?

Personal data is information that enables the Library to provide you with services e.g. your residential address, email, details of department you are a member of etc. We keep the data as long as necessary to manage your use of the Library. In cases of unreturned Library materials or unpaid bills at the end of a member's registration we will keep their personal data until the issue is resolved.

What is transaction data and why do you keep it indefinitely?

Transactional data is information about the transactions made by users e.g. loans, holds etc. is held electronically on the Library System in anonymised form. This data is only accessible by Library staff. It is used to:

Inform decisions about the Library collections e.g. purchase and relegation of stock.
Provide management information about the performance of the Library and inform decision making

Details of the Inter-library Loan requests I have made will be kept by the Library for 7 years. Why is this?

There is a legal requirement under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 for us to hold records of the requests that you have made in your name for 7 years. In cases where you have supplied a delivery address this too is stored. After 7 years this data is deleted.

How can I have my data exported?

Please email library@reading.ac.uk to make your request.

How can I change my consent for use of my data?

Please email library@reading.ac.uk to make your request.

Policy last reviewed April 2024.