Hometown Shelf Privacy Statement
A project of AuthorBureau. Last updated: 12 October 2026.
This describes how the service will work once real accounts launch. The current prototype stores nothing.
The short version
- We collect as little as we can: your email, your library, and up to three picks.
- Your picks are private. Libraries and authors see totals, never names or emails.
- We never ask for your library card number, and we never connect to your library's card system.
- We do not sell your information, share it for advertising, or use ad trackers.
- You can delete your account and every pick at any time, and it happens right away.
Who we are
Hometown Shelf is a service of AuthorBureau, run by Dr. Ivy Ge, an independent author. Contact: contact@ivyge.com · ivyge.com.
What we collect, and why
| What | Why | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Your email address | To send you a sign-in link and to keep your picks tied to you | Only us. Never the library or authors |
| The library you use | So your picks count toward the right library | Only us. The library sees a total for its own showcase |
| Up to three picks | To show the library which local authors its community wants | Only you see which picks are yours. Libraries and authors see totals |
| Basic technical data, such as the time you signed in and error logs | To keep the service working and secure | Only us and our service providers |
Library staff and authors who sign in with an email give us that email and their role, for the same reasons.
What we do not collect
- Library card numbers, PINs or library logins
- Your name, home address, phone number or birth date
- What you borrow, read or search at the library
- Location tracking, advertising profiles or data from other websites
How picks are used
Libraries see how many people picked each author, with the author's details. If fewer than three people picked something, the report says "fewer than 3." That way no one can work out who made a pick. Authors see only the totals for their own book.
We use totals to help the library decide what to buy and which authors to invite. We do not use your picks to market to you.
Who we share data with
We do not sell your data. We use a small number of service providers to run the service. They handle data only for us, under their own security commitments:
- Hosting and website delivery: Vercel
- Database and sign-in: Supabase
- Email delivery: Resend
We update this list if it changes.
We may disclose information if the law requires it, for example a valid court order. If that ever happens we will tell you unless the law forbids it.
Cookies and tracking
We use only the cookie or storage your browser needs to keep you signed in. We do not use advertising cookies, analytics that identify you, or social media trackers.
How long we keep data
We keep your account and picks until you delete them. If your account is unused for 12 months, we delete it. When you delete your account, your email and all your picks are removed from our systems right away, apart from short-term backups that expire within 30 days.
Your choices and rights
- See your data: your My picks page shows everything we keep except technical logs.
- Delete your data: choose "Delete my account and all picks." It works immediately.
- Ask us anything: write to contact@ivyge.com. We will answer within 30 days.
- If you live in California: you may ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to delete it, and ask us not to sell or share it. We do not sell or share it.
Who this service is for
Hometown Shelf is for people 18 or older during the pilot. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe a young person has signed up, write to contact@ivyge.com and we will delete the account.
How we protect your information
Connections to the service are encrypted. Access rules mean a patron can read only their own picks, and the library and authors can read only totals. We limit who can reach our systems and keep them updated. No system is perfectly secure. If a problem affects your information, we will tell you and the library promptly and explain what happened.
Libraries and public records
The library receives totals and author details, not your personal information. We design the service so the library does not hold individual patron data.
Changes to this statement
If we change it in a way that matters, we will tell you on the sign-in page and by email before the change takes effect.
Contact
Dr. Ivy Ge, contact@ivyge.com.