Beacon Villages Community Library (BVCL)
Website: bvcl.org.uk
Last updated: 23 September 2026
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website may place on your computer, tablet or mobile phone when you visit it. They allow a website to remember information about your visit and can help the website operate correctly.
Some cookies are necessary for a website to function. Others can be used to remember preferences or to collect information about how a website is used.
2. Cookies used by the BVCL website
The BVCL website is primarily an information website. We do not knowingly use cookies for advertising, behavioural profiling or targeted advertising.
The cookies that may be used when you visit the website fall into the following categories.
Strictly necessary cookies
The website may use cookies that are necessary for the technical operation of the website or for particular functionality requested by the visitor.
These cookies do not exist to track your browsing activity for advertising purposes. They may be used, for example, to maintain a website session, remember a technical setting or support functionality provided by the website.
Because these cookies are necessary for the website or a particular service to operate, they cannot necessarily be disabled through the website without affecting functionality.
Cookies associated with embedded content
Some pages may contain content supplied by another organisation or service.
Where an external service is embedded in a BVCL webpage, that service may set cookies or collect technical information according to its own privacy and cookie policies.
For example, BVCL provides links to Buckinghamshire Council’s Spydus library service for functions such as searching the catalogue, reserving items and managing library loans. The Spydus service is operated separately from the BVCL website.
BVCL does not control cookies placed by these external services.
Where practical, external content is provided as a link rather than as an automatically loaded service. This helps to limit the amount of information transmitted to third parties simply by visiting the BVCL website.
3. What information do cookies contain?
A cookie does not normally contain information such as your name or postal address.
A cookie may contain a randomly generated identifier or technical information that allows a website or service to recognise a particular browser or maintain a session.
Cookies should therefore not automatically be regarded as personally identifiable information. However, information obtained through cookies may constitute personal data where it can be linked with an identifiable individual.
4. Analytics and tracking
BVCL does not intend to use cookies for advertising or behavioural tracking.
We will not describe a service as being used for analytics unless it is actually installed and operating on the BVCL website.
If BVCL introduces an analytics service in the future, this policy will be updated to identify:
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the service provider;
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the cookies used;
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what information they collect;
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why the information is collected;
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how long the cookies remain on your device; and
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whether your consent is required before they are placed.
5. Third-party websites
The BVCL website contains links to websites and services operated by other organisations.
These include services provided by Buckinghamshire Council and other digital library services. BVCL’s website explains, for example, that online catalogue, reservation and loan services are provided through Buckinghamshire Council’s Spydus system.
When you follow one of these links, you leave the BVCL website. The third party’s own privacy and cookie policies then apply.
BVCL is not responsible for cookies or other technologies used by those external websites.
6. Managing cookies
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can normally:
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view cookies stored on your device;
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delete existing cookies;
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block some or all cookies; and
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receive a warning before cookies are stored.
Blocking necessary cookies may cause some website functions not to work correctly.
Information about managing cookies is available in the help section of your browser.
7. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this policy if the technology used by the BVCL website changes.
If we introduce new cookies or tracking technologies that materially affect visitors’ privacy, this policy will be updated to explain their purpose and operation.
The date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last reviewed.
8. Contact
If you have a question about cookies used by the BVCL website, please contact:
Beacon Villages Community Library
Email: info@bvcl.org.uk
Telephone: 01296 387890