1. Acceptance of Terms
Thank you for
using this library service, which utilizes the QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference
Service developed by the Library of Congress, the Metropolitan Cooperative
Library Service, and the OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., and maintained by OCLC and the Library of
Congress. This document states the terms on
which QuestionPoint provides you with various services through your library.
Please read these terms carefully before acknowledging your acceptance and
using this web form. We reserve the right to update the Terms at any time. You can always review the most current
version here or at www.QuestionPoint.org.
2. Definitions
Partners – OCLC, Inc.,
partners with the Library of Congress in offering QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference
Personal
Information – The following elements can sometimes, if not always, uniquely identify a
person. Thus, these elements are
discarded by OCLC when the transaction is saved in Service History.
E-mail
address, portion before the @ sign.
Name,
address, and phone numbers
Library
card number or other identifying number
3. OCLC Privacy Statement
This Privacy Statement sets out OCLC’s privacy policy and explains what
OCLC does with the information collected by our subscribing libraries and
stored on our servers.
For its own purposes, the library using this
underlying QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference service may ask you to provide your
name, e-mail address, ZIP code, telephone number, library card number, and
other information. While this data is not required for our service to function,
the library may be better able to answer your question and deliver more
relevant content if you volunteer complete and accurate information.
Your e-mail address allows the library to
answer your question via e-mail. If you
chat with a librarian you have the option to remain anonymous. Questions and answers, as well as
transcripts, are often maintained by the library so its librarians can get back
to you if they find additional information about your question. Your full
e-mail address is not used for any other purpose, though the domain (the
portion after the @ sign) may be used
for demographics analysis.
Any personal information collected is disclosed only to the extent
necessary to fulfill your request for information. For example, the library may
need to refer your question to a librarian in its network, who will have access to your information
in order to answer your question and communicate with you. OCLC does not provide personal information to
any party except as required to do so by law.
Your question, the library’s answer, and any demographic information
collected may be used to analyze usage, evaluate service effectiveness and
provide training material, and to facilitate library research. Fields specifically designed to collect
personal information are deleted before the transaction is saved or transferred
for these purposes. However, any
information you provide in fields other than those, such as your question text,
could be retained; therefore we encourage you to provide personal information ONLY in fields specifically designed for
such information.
You understand that while we do our best to protect your personal
information, OCLC cannot ensure or warrant the absolute security of any
information you transmit through this service.
You agree that any information you provide on the web form and the text
of your question are your sole responsibility and that you transmit information
through this service at your own risk.
Further, you understand how any personal information entered on the form
may be used by the library or referral library and agree to that use.
If a user indicates s/he is younger than 13 years of age, the
information is deleted from our records in accordance with the Children's
Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S. Code, 6501 et seq.).
4. Postings to QuestionPoint Services
You acknowledge and agree that OCLC and its partners may store all
electronic transactions carried out between you and the library on this service
and any information provided by you on this web form, as described in the Privacy Statement, for an indefinite
period, with this exception: your name and all but the domain of your e-mail
address will be deleted after 90 days.
As such, OCLC may disclose the data in its possession only as described
in the Privacy Statement and if
required to do so by law.
You hereby grant to OCLC and its partners the perpetual, nonexclusive,
world-wide right to edit, compile, and make searchable by libraries and the
public all completed question-and-answer pairs originally submitted by you via
this form, provided all personal information is deleted from the text.
5. Patron
Conduct
You agree not to use
this library service to:
a.
Post any content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade
secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party.
b.
Interfere with or disrupt the service
or servers or networks connected to the service;
c.
Post any material that contains software viruses or
any other computer code, files, or programs designed to interrupt, destroy, or
limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications
equipment.
OCLC and its partners reserve the right to deny access to users who do
not comply with these rules. Appeals may
be addressed to ’support@oclc.org.’
6. Password and Security
When you use this service for the first time, you will be assigned a
password to access your question and answers on the web (you will also receive
all communication by e-mail). You are responsible for maintaining the
confidentiality of your password and account and for logging out of your
account at the end of each session. You agree to notify your library
immediately of any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other
breach of security. OCLC will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from
your failure to comply with this section.
7. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold OCLC and its partners harmless from any
liability arising out of (a) anything you submit from this web form or that are
submitted from your account, (b) your use of this service, (c) your connection to the service, (d) your violation of this
Agreement, or (e) your violation of any rights of another party.
8. Termination
You agree that OCLC may terminate your password, account, or use of this
service or discard any of your questions
and completed transactions within the service, for any reason and without prior
notice. Further, you agree that OCLC shall not be liable to you or any third
party for any termination of your access to this service.
9. Disclaimer of Warranties
BY USING THE SERVICE YOU AGREE THAT:
a. Your use of the
service is at your sole risk. The service
is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. OCLC and the Library of Congress expressly
disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but
not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular
purpose, and non-infringement.
b. OCLC MAKES NO
WARRANTY THAT (i) THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, (ii) THE SERVICE
WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE, AND (iii) THE QUALITY OF ANY PRODUCTS, SERVICES,
INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIAL PURCHASED OR OBTAINED BY YOU THROUGH THE SERVICE
WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
c.
NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN,
OBTAINED BY YOU FROM QUESTIONPOINT OR THROUGH OR FROM THE SERVICE SHALL CREATE
ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY STATED IN THE TERMS. THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED FOR
INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND IS NOT CONFIRMED IN ANY WAY FOR ACCURACY. NO
CONTENT ON THE QUESTIONPOINT SERVICE IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL
ADVICE, WHETHER MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE.
10. Limitation of Liability
YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT OCLC IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER
INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF OCLC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE; (ii)
THE COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS AND SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY
GOODS, DATA, INFORMATION OR SERVICES PURCHASED OR OBTAINED FROM THE SERVICE;
(iii) THE REMOVAL OR MODIFICATION OF ANY CONTENT SUBMITTED OR PROVIDED BY YOU;
or (iv) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE.
