Help and privacy
Short answers, in plain language.
What is this?
Hometown Shelf is a showcase of local authors that your library chooses. You pick up to three you would like the library to carry or host. The library uses the totals to see what its community wants.
Is this the library's official website?
Not yet. This is a prototype built by AuthorBureau to show a library what the tool could look like. The library and most of the authors on this page are fictional.
Why do I need an account?
An account keeps your picks private and stops one person from picking many times. Anyone can browse without one.
Do I need my library card number?
No. We never ask for it, and we never connect to the library's card system.
Who can see what I picked?
Only you. The library and the authors see totals. If fewer than three people picked something, the report says "fewer than 3" so no one can guess who it was.
What we keep, and what we never do
What we keep
- Your email address
To send you the sign-in link - Which library you use
So your picks count for the right library - Up to three picks
The reason the tool exists
What we never collect
- Library card number or PIN
- Your name, address or phone number
- What you borrow or read
- Anything from advertising trackers. We do not use them.
- We do not sell or share your information.
- Authors never receive your email. Libraries never receive your email.
- You can see everything we keep on the My picks page.
Delete my data
Sign in, open My picks, and choose “Delete my account and all picks.” It works immediately. Your email and every pick are removed.
Accessibility
The pages are built to work with a keyboard and on phones, with labeled buttons and clear focus. A formal accessibility review is planned before any real launch, and we will share the results. If something does not work for you, tell us.
Contact
Questions or problems: contact@ivyge.com · ivyge.com.