Information We Collect
When you visit Medieval History Archive (oqite.com), our servers automatically record routine log data. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring pages, the pages you request, and the time and date of each request. We also collect information about your device, such as screen resolution and language settings, where your browser or device makes this available.
If you choose to contact us via the email address provided on the site, we receive and store the contents of your message, your email address, and any other information you voluntarily include. We use this only to respond to your inquiry and for no other purpose.
We may store certain preferences you set while browsing, such as display options or reading list selections, using local storage or cookies as described below.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage and web beacons) for several purposes:
- Essential cookies: These are necessary for the site to function, for example to remember your session or your preference for viewing a particular edition. Without these, certain features may not work.
- Analytics cookies: Where enabled, we use a privacy-respecting analytics service to understand how visitors use the site—which pages are most read, how long visitors stay, and what links they follow. This helps us improve the catalogue. The analytics provider may set cookies on our behalf, but we ensure that your IP address is anonymised and that no personally identifiable information is shared.
- Advertising cookies: Where advertising is displayed, third-party ad networks (including Google and its partners) may set cookies on your browser to serve ads relevant to your interests, limit the number of times you see an ad, and measure the effectiveness of campaigns. These cookies may track your browsing across different websites. We also use web beacons (small transparent images) to help ad networks understand when an ad has been displayed or clicked.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, or to receive a warning before a cookie is stored. Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect the functionality of the site. For more information about managing cookies, visit your browser's help pages.
How We Use Your Information
We process your information for the following purposes:
- To operate, maintain, and improve the catalogue and its features.
- To understand how readers use the site and to develop new content and functionality.
- To communicate with you if you have contacted us.
- To serve advertisements that are relevant to your interests, where advertising is enabled.
- To detect and prevent misuse of the site, such as automated scraping or denial-of-service attacks.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not share your information with third parties except as described in this policy (for example, with analytics and advertising providers who act on our behalf) or where required by law.
Third-Party Services
We may use third-party service providers to help us operate the site. These providers have access to your information only to perform tasks on our behalf and are contractually bound not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. Where Google advertising services are displayed, Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your visits to this and other sites. You can learn more about how Google uses data and how to control it at Google's Privacy & Terms site.
Data Retention
We retain server logs for a limited period needed for analysis and security, after which they are deleted or anonymised. Messages you send us are kept only as long as necessary to address your query and for a reasonable follow-up period. Cookies and local storage data persist according to their own expiration settings, which you can manage via your browser.
Your Choices and Rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights regarding your personal data, including the right to access, correct, delete, or port your data, and the right to object to or restrict processing. To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law.
You can opt out of interest-based advertising by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page or, for Google services, the Google Ads Settings page. You can also disable analytics cookies by using a browser extension or adjusting your browser settings.
If you have consented to the use of cookies, you may withdraw your consent at any time by clearing cookies in your browser or adjusting your cookie preferences on the site (where a consent tool is provided).
Children's Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child has provided us with personal data, we will take steps to delete it promptly. We encourage parents and guardians to monitor their children's online activity.
External Links
The catalogue may contain links to external websites, such as archive.org or other digital libraries. This privacy policy applies only to our site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites. We encourage you to review their policies before providing any personal information.
International Access
Our site is hosted in and operated from Ireland. If you access it from outside Ireland, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Ireland or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the site, you acknowledge that your data may be processed in jurisdictions with different data protection laws. We take steps to ensure that any such transfer complies with applicable law and that your data remains protected.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page. Your continued use of the site after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us at [email protected].