Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center (“LMEC”) is committed to protecting the privacy of its online guests, visitors, donors, and friends. We understand that maintaining privacy on our websites (leventhalmap.org, collections.leventhalmap.org, geo.leventhalmap.org, atlascope.leventhalmap.org, atlascope.org, geoservices.leventhalmap.org, newworld.leventhalmap.org and mapsbpl.thankyou4caring.org, herein collectively “websites”) is very important and that informing our visitors about the types of information we collect and how we use it is crucial to our mission.

2. Types of Information Collected

LMEC does not collect personal information about individuals, such as names, postal or email addresses, or other personally identifying data (“Personal Data”) except when such information is knowingly provided. Personal Data might be obtained from online transactions such as purchases, subscriptions, registrations, or donation pledges. Additionally, Personal Data may be transmitted as part of a form submission or in connection with other activities, services, or resources available on our websites.

3. Information Provided by You

Online Mailing Lists

When you subscribe to our electronic mailing list(s), LMEC will request information necessary to process your subscription and send you the information you seek: your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and areas of interest. Your Personal Data may be used as set forth below.

Sending Us an Email

You also may decide to send LMEC personally identifying information, for example, in an electronic mail message containing a question or comment, or by filling out a Web form that provides us this information. We use personally identifying information from email primarily to respond to your requests. We may forward your email to other employees who are better able to answer your questions. We may also use your email to contact you in the future about our programs that may be of interest.

Purchases

When you purchase an item from LMEC, LMEC and its third party merchants and agents will request information necessary to process your purchase or process your membership and acknowledge your contribution: your name, billing and shipping address, telephone number, e-mail address, and credit card information. Your credit card information will be used only for the purpose of processing and documenting the transaction. Your Personal Data may be used as set forth below.

Online Program and Event Tickets

When you register for free programs or purchase online tickets through the site, LMEC and its third party merchants and agents will request information necessary to process your order: your name, billing and shipping address, telephone number, e-mail address, and credit card information. Your credit card information will be used only for the purpose of processing and documenting the transaction. Your Personal Data may be used as set forth below.

4. Information Collected Automatically

Non-Personal Information

LMEC does automatically collect some anonymous “non-personally identifiable” aggregate information about visitors when pages are requested through a browser. This information is used for statistical purposes, to help us monitor how guests navigate our site, allowing us to tailor our services for specific groups of visitors. Non-personally identifiable information may refer to information about our visitors’ browsers (e.g., Google Chrome or Internet Explorer), operating systems (e.g., Windows or Macintosh), Internet Service Providers (e.g., AOL, Earthlink, Verizon, Comcast, etc.), and other similar information.

Aggregate Information

LMEC collects IP addresses as a component of the non-personally identifiable aggregate information. An IP address is a number assigned to your computer by a web server when you’re on the Internet. This information is used only for non-user-specific purposes such as determining how many users visited a specific area of our site. Such information could, if necessary, also be used to identify a user in order to comply with safety and/or security issues or with legal requirements, but only in extraordinary circumstances.

Cookies

A cookie is a small text file that is sent to your browser from a website and stored on your computer’s hard drive. Cookies can’t read data from your hard drive or read cookie files that were created by other sites—the website that creates a cookie is the only one a browser will permit to access it. Examples of ways in which LMEC might use cookies are to control access to certain user features, to customize content areas, and to analyze site activity and user behavior. LMEC also reserves the right to use cookies in the future in conjunction with new content or extended functionality.

If you are concerned about the use of cookies, LMEC suggests that you explore your browser’s options to notify you whenever a cookie is set, or to disallow cookies altogether. Users should be aware, however, that prohibiting the use of cookies may restrict the user’s access to certain types of content or features. Numerous online resources explain cookies and describe how to disable them.

5. How Information Is Used

Any personal information provided to LMEC is maintained and accessible only by LMEC unless LMEC explicitly states otherwise.

Marketing and Promotion

If you give LMEC permission, we may use any Personal Data you submit for marketing and promotional purposes. For example, on occasion LMEC sends emails to inform users of new exhibitions or other events we think might be of interest. If you provide us with your email address, this will be deemed permission for us to email you information about our exhibitions, events, and other programs and activities, as well as for any marketing or promotional purposes. However, you may withdraw this permission using our opt-out procedure. You will not receive such communications unless you have knowingly provided the personal information required. In some cases, you will be required to opt-in by joining a newsgroup or mailing list. If you do opt-in, you will always have the option to opt-out at any time by unsubscribing to that particular list or following the opt-out instructions included within the body of the email message.

6. With Whom Information Is Shared

LMEC may share your Personal Data, as collected under the circumstances outlined above, with other reputable organizations, such as other non-profits, art institutions, or companies.

7. Use of Text or Images

If you would like to publish information that you find on our websites, please send your request to info@leventhalmap.org. Where text or images are posted on our site with the permission of the original copyright holder, a copyright statement appears at the bottom of the page.

8. Opt-Out or Change Your Contact Information

LMEC provides users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications. You may choose to receive only specific communications or none at all. If for any reason you do not wish to receive further email from LMEC, please follow the instructions for unsubscribing included within the body of the message that was sent to you. You may also update your contact information previously provided to us through an online form. You cannot remove yourself from our database, but you can prevent unwanted communication.

9. Accessibility

This Web site is designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities, and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the site more accessible, please contact us at info@leventhalmap.org.

10. Security

LMEC protects all personal and non-personally identifiable information that it receives via the Internet against unauthorized access. In addition, LMEC’s donation site uses SSL encryption to process donations. By using this technology, online customers can be confident that their personal information is protected from interception by any third party. Sensitive credit card information is not permanently stored on any LMEC web server and, though your order information is retained for our records, this information is never shared with other companies or persons.

What is a secure connection? When a secure connection is established between your browser and a website, any data that is transferred over the connection is encrypted to prevent it from being viewed by a third party. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, the standard for most browsers and servers, makes it very difficult for anyone to intercept or decode messages exchanged over this type of secure connection.

Browsers such as Firefox and Internet Explorer display an image of a locked padlock in their status bar when connected to a secure site. Secure transactions are also indicated when the prefix in the location bar of your browser switches from http:// to https://. If you do not see the padlock at the bottom of your browser’s window, if the padlock is unlocked, or if the protocol in the location bar is not listed as https://, then any data exchanged with the website is potentially visible to others.

Depending on your browser, you may be able to view authentication information about a secure page by double-clicking on the locked padlock in the status bar. For more information on how your software establishes a secure connection, see the help files for your particular browser.

Users may find content on LMEC’s sites that links to the sites and services of our partners, sponsors, or other third parties. We take no responsibility for, and exercise no control over, the organizations, views, or accuracy of the information contained on other servers. Creating a text link from your Web site to our site does not require permission. If you have a link you’d like us to consider adding to our Web site, please send an email to info@leventhalmap.org with the subject “Link request.” In addition, these sites or services, including their content and links, may be constantly changing. These sites and services may have their own privacy policies and customer service policies, or no policy at all. LMEC encourages visitors to review the privacy policies of any sites they visit to ensure their personal information is being protected.

12. Children

LMEC does not knowingly collect personal information from children seventeen years of age and under. Children should always ask parents/ guardians for permission before providing personal information to any website or purchasing any products or services online. LMEC urges all parents/ guardians to participate in their child’s exploration of the Internet and to teach them about protecting their personal information while online.

13. Policy Change

Occasional changes may be made to this document as new services and content are added to our site or to reflect changes in LMEC’s policies. Visitors to LMEC’s websites are encouraged to check this document periodically to stay informed of current LMEC privacy guidelines.

14. Acceptance of Terms

By using any of LMEC’s websites, you signify your acceptance of our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our sites. Your continued use of any LMEC site following the posting of changes to these terms will indicate your acceptance of those changes.

15. Questions About Our Policies

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, you can contact us at: info@leventhalmap.org.

Revised May 20, 2020