Who we are
The Online Library is part of the University of London. We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (notification number is Z5419651) and have a Data Protection Officer, Suzie Mereweather who can be contacted via data.protection@London.ac.uk.
What this is
One of our responsibilities is to tell you about the different ways we collect and use your personal data. This statement provides details about these uses. In addition to this statement, you may be given further information about the uses of your personal data when you use certain services offered by the University of London.
What data are we collecting?
The Online Library holds and processes personal data about current students on University of London Worldwide programmes and current staff working on University of London Worldwide programmes (including Recognised Teaching Centre staff and other external staff).
The personal data we hold about you consists of:
- Name
- Personal email address
- University email address
- Student Registration Number
Why do we collect this information?
We collect and use your personal data so that you can access the resources provided by the Online Library, and so that the Online Library Enquiry Service can respond to your enquiries and provide support.
We process this data in the legitimate interests of the University of London as well as in your own legitimate interests. These purposes will never override your personal interests, fundamental rights and freedoms in relation to your personal data.
What do we do with this information?
We collect and store your data in these ways:
- When you first log into the Online Library with your University credentials, or when an Athens account is created for you, your data is collected and stored in the Online Library’s authentication system OpenAthens.
- When you make an enquiry to the Online Library, your data is collected and stored in the Online Library’s enquiry system. This includes if you contact us by email, by a webform on the Online Library website, by the webform on the VLeBooks website, by a webform in Summon, by using our live chat service, or if your enquiry is forwarded to the Online Library from another University of London department.
- When you use our live chat service (whether you talk to a librarian or to our chatbot), your data is collected and stored in the Online Library’s live chat system Olark.
- When you submit a webform on the Online Library website, your data is collected and stored in the University’s system.
For most of the databases that the Online Library provides access to, no personal data is passed to the database when you log in. There are 3 exceptions:
- Westlaw collects your name and personal email address.
- PitchBook collects your name and University email address.
- BibliU collects your University email address
The University has carried out due diligence to make sure third parties store data in line with data protection expectations. As a principle only minimal information will be shared as necessary. The University processes personal data in accordance with data protection legislation and our own Data Protection Policy.
How long do we keep your information?
- If you use your University credentials to log into the Online Library, your data in OpenAthens is automatically deleted 12 months after your last login.
- If you have an Athens account, your data in OpenAthens is automatically deleted 12 months after your Athens account expires.
- Data in the Online Library’s enquiry system Cerberus is deleted 8 years after the enquiry is made.
- Data in the Online Library’s live chat system Olark is deleted 8 years after the chat.
- Data submitted in webforms on the Online Library website is deleted from the University’s system every month.
Who do we share your information with?
Your personal data may be shared with other University of London teams in order to resolve a problem related to accessing Online Library resources or in order to pass on an enquiry which the Online Library cannot help with.
If you have reported a technical problem, we may share your personal data with a third party in order to resolve the problem. Depending on the nature of the problem, this third party could be OpenAthens, Browns (VLeBooks), Westlaw or another Online Library database or system. Transcripts of chats with the chatbot are sometimes passed to our live chat system provider Olark.
Who you pass data to outside of the University?
We may need to pass certain information with external parties to fulfil our legal obligations. As a principle only minimal information will be shared as necessary. Third parties with whom information may need to be shared are:
- The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
- Legal advisors to the University
- Law enforcement agencies
What rights do you have in relation to the way we process your data?
As an individual whose data we process (a data subject), you have certain rights in relation to the processing. You can find detailed information about your rights as a data subject.
You have the right to:
- Withdraw your consent for us to process your personal data where we have relied on that consent as our basis for processing your data.
- Ask us to confirm that your personal data is being processed and to gain access (i.e. have a copy) of that data as well as to be provided with supplemental information about the processing.
- Request that we rectify any inaccuracies where the data we hold on you is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Have your data erased by us, although in certain circumstances we may not be able to do this. The circumstances where this applies can be found in the guide to data subject rights information.
- Restrict the processing of your personal data in certain ways.
- Obtain your personal data for reuse.
- Object to certain processing of your personal data.
If you would like to exercise any of your rights please look at the information available on the data subject rights webpage.
Make a complaint
If you have any concerns about the way that we have handled your personal data please email the Data Protection team as we would like to have the opportunity to resolve your concerns.
If you’re still unhappy, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (an independent body set up to advise on information rights for the UK) about the way in which we process your personal data.