What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website. They help the site remember your actions and preferences over time. This policy explains how the Art & Architecture Library uses cookies and similar storage technologies.
Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the catalogue to function. They enable basic operations such as navigating between pages, remembering your session and maintaining your privacy choices. Without these cookies, the site cannot work properly. Essential cookies are always set and do not require your consent.
Preference Cookies
Where enabled, preference cookies remember choices you make — such as text size, display layout or filtering options — so you do not have to set them again on each visit. These cookies are not strictly essential but improve your experience.
Analytics Cookies
If analytics are active, we may use a first-party analytics service to collect anonymous information about how visitors use the catalogue — for example, which pages are most viewed and whether any errors occur. This data helps us understand reader interests and improve the site. No personal information is collected, and the data cannot be used to identify you.
Advertising Cookies
Where advertisements are displayed, we may use Google advertising technologies (such as Google AdSense or Google Ad Manager) to serve relevant ads. These services may set their own cookies on your device to track your browsing across different websites and build a profile of your interests. This enables them to show you ads that are more relevant to you. The use of these cookies is subject to Google’s privacy policy. We do not control these cookies, and you should check Google’s own cookie information for details.
First-Party and Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by the Art & Architecture Library itself. Third-party cookies are set by other services we use, such as Google for advertising or analytics providers. These third parties may have access to the data collected through their cookies, subject to their own 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 longer period, or until you manually delete them. The exact duration varies by cookie and is set by the cookie provider.
Local Storage
In addition to cookies, we may use local storage (such as HTML5 localStorage) to store data on your device for similar purposes — for example, to remember your preferences or to cache catalogue data for faster loading. Local storage is not automatically cleared when you close your browser and can be managed through your browser settings.
Consent Choices
When you first visit the catalogue, you will see a notice asking for your consent to non-essential cookies (preferences, analytics and advertising). You may accept all, reject non-essential cookies, or customise your choices. Your selection will be remembered via an essential cookie. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the cookie settings link in the site footer.
Withdrawal of Consent
If you have given consent for optional cookies, you may withdraw it at any time by updating your cookie settings. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
Browser Controls
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can block all cookies, accept only first-party cookies, or delete cookies when you close the browser. You can also clear existing cookies and local storage manually. Please note that disabling essential cookies may prevent the catalogue from functioning correctly.
Practical Effects of Disabling Storage
If you disable all cookies and local storage, the site will still load but you may experience issues such as being asked to accept cookies on every page, losing your preferences, and seeing less relevant advertisements (where ads are shown). Some interactive features may not work.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact the editor at [email protected].