Library services privacy notice

Published: 1 July 2025

Our contact details

Name: Data Protection Officer

Address: Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD

Phone number: 01344 352000

Bracknell Forest Council is registered as a controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Email: dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

  • full name
  • age and date of birth
  • postal address
  • email address
  • telephone number
  • gender
  • photographic images
  • membership number and PIN number
  • usage of public computers including location, time and date
  • date, time and amount of any fines and other charges paid to the library
  • date and time of reserving, borrowing and renewing and returning library stock (where applicable)

We also collect the following special category information:

  • health conditions or disabilities (where provided or required)
  • racial or ethnic origin
  • religious or philosophical beliefs
  • sexual orientation

How we get the personal information and why we have it

The personal information we process is provided to us for one or more of the following reasons:

  • registering you as a service user and to manage our relationship with you
  • registering you for Open+
  • providing you with access to our resources, such as borrowing, requesting items, booking rooms, or electronic devices
  • providing access to a range of electronic resources
  • responding to enquiries
  • for administration purposes such as the collection of fees for overdue loans
  • delivering specific activities and services such as bookable events and the Home Library Service
  • supporting you to register for other services such as renew a bus pass, proof of age cards, register for a Blue Badge

We receive information directly from you through the following sources:

  • in person
  • online form
  • over the telephone

How the law allows us to use your personal information

Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing personal data is Article 6 UK GDPR:

  • (a) Your consent
  • (b) We have a contractual obligation
  • (c) We have a legal obligation

Special category data

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing special category data is Article 9 UK GDPR:

  • (a) Your consent

You can read the guide to lawful basis for processing special category data on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Where we use consent to process your personal data, we will explain to you what we are asking you to agree to and why.

If we have consent to use your personal data, you have the right to remove it at any time. If you remove your consent we are unlikely to be able to provide continued services to you.

If you want to remove your consent, contact bracknell.library@bracknell-forest.gov.uk and we will deal with your request.

Contractual obligation

We use the information in order to fulfil our contractual obligations with you. 

Our ‘legal obligation' to provide a libraries service is found in:

  • Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964

Who we share your information with

Information held by the council may be shared with the following organisations in order for us to deliver our services:

  • ESS Alto (for our Library Management System)
  • Bibliotheca (for Open+ registrations only)
  • SmartCitizen Ltd (for e+ data management)
  • specialist library services that allow us to undertake events (such as the Summer Reading Challenge)
  • other third parties where you have given consent for such services and events

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored on our systems.

Data will not be kept for longer than is necessary and is kept in line with the council’s retention and disposal schedule. We will dispose your information by securely destroying any data we hold.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights we need to make you aware of. The rights available to you depend on our reason for processing your information.

Your right of access

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. This right always applies. There are some exemptions, which means you may not always receive all the information we process.

Find out more about your right of access from the ICO.

Your right to get your data corrected

You have the right to ask us to correct information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. This right always applies.

Find out more about your right to get your data corrected from the ICO.

Your right to get your data deleted

You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to get your data deleted from the ICO.

Your right to limit how organisations use your data

You have the right to ask us to limit the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to limit how organisations use your data from the ICO.

Your right to object to the use of your data

You have the right to object to processing if we are able to process your information because the process forms part of our public tasks.

Find out more about your right to object to the use of your data from the ICO.

Your right to data portability

This only applies to information you have given us. You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us from one organisation to another, or give it to you.

The right only applies if we are processing information based on your consent or for the performance of a contract, and the processing is automated.

Find out more about your right to data portability from the ICO.

Making a request

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have 28 days to respond to you.

To make a request, email bracknell.library@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.

Service adjustments

As a public authority and a provider of services to the public, we have a legal duty to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

This means we need to make service adjustments for anyone with a disability who contacts us in any capacity, to eliminate any barriers to accessing our services.

Our lawful basis for processing this information is article 6(1)(c) of the UK GDPR as we have a legal obligation to provide this. Our processing of special category data, such as health information you give us, will be based on article 9(2)(a), which means we need your consent.

We will create a record of your adjustment requirements. These will give your name, contact details and type of adjustment required, along with a brief description of why it is required. Relevant staff can access this to make sure they are communicating with you in the required way.

Should you require service adjustments, email bracknell.library@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data by:

  • visiting the ICO website
  • phoning the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113
  • writing to:
    • Information Commissioner’s Office
      Wycliffe House
      Water Lane
      Wilmslow
      Cheshire
      SK9 5AF