Privacy notice
Version 2026-10-17, effective 17 October 2026
This notice explains what personal information Urmila Books collects when you use this digital library, why, who helps us handle it, how long we keep it and what you can ask us to do. We have tried to say it plainly.
Who we are
The library is run by Urmila Books, Krishna, 8 New Market, Begum Bridge, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, PIN 250001. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 we are the "Data Fiduciary" for the personal information described here.
You can reach us about your information at [email protected].
What we collect, and why
| What | Why we need it |
|---|---|
| Your name and email address, and how you sign in (an emailed code, a password, Google or Microsoft). If you use Google or Microsoft we receive only your name, your verified email address and an identifier from them. | To create your account, recognise you when you return and send you the messages the service needs (sign-in codes, reminders). |
| Your confirmation that you are 18 or older, and the versions of these Terms and this notice you agreed to, with the date. | To keep a record that you agreed. |
| Your avatar choice and display name. | To show you as you want to appear in your account menu. |
| The books you borrow, the dates, and when you return them. | To lend you books, apply your plan's monthly allowance and show your Borrow List. |
| Where you stopped reading, and your highlights and notes. | To let you pick up where you left off on any device and to keep your notes for you. We do not read your notes or use them for anything else. |
| What you send us through Contact us and Publish with Us (your name, email, phone number, and what you write, including your book's description and abstract). | To answer you and, for Publish with Us, to consider your book. |
| Your internet address and basic technical details of your device and browser, in security logs. | To protect the service from abuse and attacks and to investigate problems. These logs are kept for up to 30 days. |
We collect only what we need to run the library. If we add tools to understand how the service is used, we will update this notice first. We do not show advertising, we do not sell or rent your information to anyone, and we will not track children or build profiles of children.
On what basis we use your information
We use your information with your consent, which you give when you create your account and which you can withdraw by deleting your account. We also use it where the law allows without asking again, for example to keep the service secure, to meet our legal duties and to respond to a request from you.
Who helps us handle it
We use a small number of providers who handle information on our behalf and only for the purposes below. We do not let them use it for their own purposes.
| Provider | What they do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| A cloud hosting provider | Hosts the servers that run the library and keep its data | India |
| A network and security provider | Carries traffic to the library, protects it from attacks, and checks that forms are filled in by people | Worldwide network |
| An email delivery provider | Sends you the emails the service needs | United States |
| Google and Microsoft | Only if you choose to sign in with them; they tell us your name and verified email address | As described in their own notices |
The software that signs you in runs on our own servers; it is not a third party's service. We may also share information where the law requires it, for example in response to a lawful order. We name the kind of provider rather than the company; you can ask for the full list at [email protected].
Some of these providers handle information outside India. We choose providers that protect it with appropriate security, and we share only what is needed.
How long we keep it
| What | How long |
|---|---|
| Your account, borrow history, reading progress, highlights and notes | While your account exists. When you delete your account they are removed |
| Messages and Publish with Us submissions | 12 months after we last write to you, then deleted |
| A record that an account existed (which we keep for security and legal reasons), after you delete it | 90 days, with your name and email removed |
| Security logs | Up to 30 days |
| Backups | Our backups are kept for up to six months. Anything you delete leaves the backups when they expire; we do not restore deleted accounts |
Your rights
You can:
- ask for a summary of the personal information we hold about you and who we share it with;
- ask us to correct, complete or update it;
- ask us to erase it (you can also delete your account yourself from your account page, once that page offers it);
- withdraw your consent at any time (by deleting your account);
- nominate another person to exercise these rights for you if you die or cannot act;
- have a complaint about our handling of your information dealt with by our Grievance Officer.
To do any of these, write to [email protected]. We will reply within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our reply, you may complain to the Data Protection Board of India.
Grievance Officer
Grievance Officer, Urmila Books, Krishna, 8 New Market, Begum Bridge, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, PIN 250001. Email: [email protected].
We acknowledge a complaint within two working days and aim to resolve it within 15 days.
How we protect it
Information travels over encrypted connections. Access to our systems is limited to the people who need it, staff sign in with extra checks, our backups are encrypted and kept in a separate place, and we keep our software up to date. No system is perfectly safe; if there is a breach that affects your information we will tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
Children
Anyone aged 18 or older can create an account; the library is made for parents, teachers and guardians, who may read with the children in their care. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has created an account, write to us and we will remove it.
Changes to this notice
This is version 2026-10-17, effective 17 October 2026. If we change it in a way that matters, we will publish the new version, tell you, and ask you to agree again before you carry on.