What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website. They help the site remember information about your visit, such as your preferred language or settings, and may be used to support site operations, analytics, or advertising. Similar technologies such as local storage and session storage may also be used where enabled.
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies and similar storage for the following purposes:
- Essential storage: These are necessary for the catalogue to function. They enable you to navigate the site, access ebooks, and maintain your session. Without these, some features may not work correctly.
- Preference storage: These remember your choices, such as text size, display mode, or language, so you do not have to set them each time you visit.
- Analytics storage (where enabled): We may use analytics services to understand how visitors interact with the catalogue. This helps us improve the site’s usability and content. These cookies collect aggregated, anonymous information.
- Advertising storage (where ads are displayed): If advertisements appear on certain pages, we may use advertising technologies, including those provided by Google, to deliver relevant ads and measure their performance. These cookies track your browsing activity across websites.
First-Party and Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by us and are used only by our site. Third-party cookies are set by services we use, such as analytics providers or advertising networks. For example, where Google advertising technologies are employed, Google may place cookies on your device to serve personalised ads. We do not control these third-party cookies, and their use is subject to the respective provider’s privacy policies.
Session and Persistent Cookies
Session cookies are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a period determined by the cookie’s settings, or until you manually delete them. We use both types where appropriate.
Local Storage and Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use local storage to store data such as reading progress or preferences. This data stays on your device and is not automatically transmitted to us unless you interact with a feature that sends it. Session storage is similar but is cleared when you close your browser. We may also use web beacons or pixels in limited circumstances, for example to measure the effectiveness of email notifications if you have subscribed to updates. These technologies work alongside cookies and are governed by the same consent choices.
Your Consent Choices
When you first visit the site, you may be asked to consent to non-essential cookies, such as those for analytics or advertising. You can accept or decline these categories. Essential cookies do not require consent but are necessary for the site to work. You can change your preferences at any time through the cookie settings link available on our site. If you have previously consented, you may withdraw consent for optional categories without affecting the essential functionality of the catalogue.
Withdrawal of Optional Consent
If you have given consent for optional cookies, you may withdraw it at any time by adjusting your cookie preferences through the settings available on our site. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. You may also use browser controls to delete or block cookies, but this may affect your experience.
Browser Controls
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can block or delete cookies, and you can set your browser to notify you when a cookie is placed. However, please note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the catalogue, and some features may become unavailable. For guidance on managing cookies in your browser, you may consult your browser’s help documentation.
Practical Effects of Disabling Storage
If you disable all cookies and local storage, you may still browse public-domain ebooks, but certain features such as remembering your reading position, preferred text size, or language settings will not persist between visits. Some interactive elements, such as bookmarking or note-taking where available, may not work as intended. Essential site operations, like maintaining your session while browsing, may also be affected.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.