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Privacy and Cookie Policy

We respect your privacy and value your trust - that’s why we’re committed to being transparent about data collection and use. As with all University of Alberta websites, bookstore.ualberta.ca does not automatically gather any personal information from you, such as your name, phone number, email address or payment information.

This information is only obtained if you provide it voluntarily via email or chat, account sign-up, newsletter opt-in, contact form, quote request or at checkout. Any personal information you do provide is managed according to the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. This means that, at the point of collection, you will be informed that your personal information is being collected, the purpose for which it is being collected, and that you have a right of access to the collected information.

Information provided is encrypted and stored on a secure server. Your data is only used by University of Alberta personnel and limited partners to provide services as outlined below.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

Information collected automatically via the Internet

The University of Alberta logs HTTP requests to our server. These logs capture computer information, navigation and clickstream data.

Some of the information collected does not identify who you are. Other information, such as your domain name or IP address, may identify you depending on the naming standards followed by your Internet service provider. You may wish to ask them about their policies and practices.

Although we make no attempt to link the information captured to the identity of individuals, the information captured does identify the following:

  • the Internet domain and IP address from which you access our website
  • the type of browser and operating system used to access our site
  • screen resolution of your monitor
  • the date and time you access our site
  • the pages you visit
  • the address of any website from which you linked to the University of Alberta website

This information is used to help us make our site more useful to our audiences by learning about the number of visitors to our site, and by monitoring traffic patterns and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record information about specific individuals and their visits. Visitor information is not disclosed to anyone except University of Alberta personnel who need the information for legitimate business purposes such as responding to a request.

Cookies

A cookie is a small piece of text information sent to your browser when you access a website. It allows the website to remember certain information, such as your preferences or login details, to help make the site easier to use.

No personal information is stored in the cookie. Cookies may be session cookies (temporary and deleted after a certain period of time or when you close the browser) or persistent cookies (stored on your computer for a fixed period of time).

Like other e-commerce websites, we use different types of cookies to allow you to shop securely and improve your overall experience.

  • Necessary cookies, are used to allow you to access the website securely and use basic features. For example, we use cookies to keep items in your cart as you browse across multiple pages and to balance website traffic during peak hours.
  • Functionality cookies are used to remember your preferences or actions to make the site easier to use or to provide additional security features. Some examples of how functional cookies are used on our site include:
    • Login authentication and security - for example, requiring a password reset after repeated failed login attempts.
    • Product suggestions based on your previous purchases or items you’ve recently viewed.
    • To auto-populate your name, address and other preferences from your registered account at checkout.
  • Performance cookies are used to help us improve user experience. Primarily, we use Google Analytics to gather statistics about our website and visitor behaviour, such as number of users, country, language, pages visited, device type, link referrals, age, gender and possibly interests. This data is collected via a first-party cookie - that is, a cookie linked to the ualberta.ca domain, not Google. All information provided in Google Analytics reports is aggregated and anonymous, meaning you cannot be identified individually. According to Google, the data collected cannot be altered or retrieved by services from other domains. For more information on Google Analytics, please visit Google's website.
  • If you would like to opt-out of Google Analytics, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on in your browser.
  • Third-party services: In addition to Google Analytics, we use the following third-party services, which may or may not place cookies. Please click on the linked names to view each service’s privacy and cookie policy.

Controlling Cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings - please refer to your specific browser’s help menu for instructions. If you delete all cookies, you may need to re-enter the information the next time you visit our website.

Please note that rejecting or blocking all cookies will likely render the website unusable. Most browsers have presets that allow a balance of privacy and functionality. For more information, please refer to your browser’s help documentation.

Information provided by you

Payment information

Payment information is stored only for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. Transaction information is collected, stored and used only in non-identifying form.

Account sign-up

Information provided by you when you sign up for an optional user account is used to provide personalized order history, order updates, product suggestions and to fulfill customer service requests. This information is stored on a secured server in adherence with University of Alberta information and privacy policies. We never share or sell your information to other parties. You may delete your account at any time.

If you do not wish to create an account, you may use the Guest Checkout option.

Email communications

When you provide your email address, we only use it for the purposes outlined when you enter the information. For example, if you make a purchase, we will send you order confirmations and updates. If you have entered it as part of a help request, we will only use it to help resolve your inquiry.

If you have opted-in to our email newsletter, we will send you occasional promotional emails including discounts, events, and new products. You may opt-out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link or editing your email preferences under My Account > Settings.

Access

Under the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act, you have the right to access any personal information about you we have on hand.

If you have signed up for an account, you can access and edit your information at Login > My Account > Settings. If you would like to fully delete your account, please contact us and we'll be happy to assist..

For account and personal information inquiries, please contact us.

For further information on the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act and how it is administered at the University of Alberta, please visit the University of Alberta Information and Privacy Office.

Third-party websites and social media

In addition to the third-party services above, we link to a select number of third-party websites and social media platforms, including Instagram, VerbaCollect and VitalSource. The University of Alberta is not responsible for the content and privacy practices of other websites. By using such websites, you are agreeing to abide by their individual terms and conditions and are subject to their privacy policies. We recommend you review these prior to use.