Privacy Policy

Why is privacy information important at FLAC?

The electronic age in which we live now is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that information is readily available electronically and we are able to communicate with each other more easily and quickly. The curse is that our private, personal information may also be readily accessible by those who might wish to exploit it for their own purposes and in unacceptable ways. People are justifiably concerned about who might gain access to their information and what they might do with that information. The Friends of Library and Archives Canada want your information. We also want you, as a member, to be confident that we will protect your information.

 

What information does FLAC keep about its members?

We store your name, mailing address and phone number in our membership database. If you have provided it to us, we also have your e-mail address and information about your volunteer activities and preferences.

 

What does FLAC do with the membership information?

In its constitution, FLAC is required to send you a notice of its annual general meeting (in June) by mail and so your mailing address is a necessary piece of membership information. FLAC newsletters have been mailed to you in the past and they will also now be published on the FLAC web site. We regularly send group emails to inform about FLAC events and to request volunteer assistance.

 

How does FLAC protect your information?

Library and Archives Canada use our membership database for mailings. With this one exception, we do not share any information in our membership database with other organizations for any purpose whatsoever.

Specific pages of the FLAC web site have been made secure by encryption. The secure pages include the membership form, the volunteer form, the shopping pages, the feedback form and the privacy form.

We protect the privacy of your e-mail address in general mailings by addressing it to you as a blind carbon copy or bcc. This means that although many people receive the same email at the same time your name and address are visible only to you. Other recipients are not able to see or find out your email address through general mailings.

Your name, address, phone number or e-mail address will not be published on the website without your permission. If you wish, we will also not publish on the web site any photograph by which you or any member of your family might be identified.

If they wish, FLAC members will be contacted by phone or by means of regular mail.

The FLAC membership data base is kept in a secure location, as are paper and electronic copies of membership information.