Welcome to Living Library. Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data when you use the Living Library mobile application ("the App"). By using the App, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
Information We Collect
1.1 — Information You Provide Directly
When you use Living Library, you may provide us with the following information:
- Books you add to your library, including title, author, genre, and reading status
- Notes you create for books, whether typed or recorded via speech-to-text
- Reading progress, including current page number and total pages
- Reading time logs and session durations
- Annual reading goals you set within the app
- Book recommendations you choose to share with friends
- When you create an account, we collect your name and email address via Firebase Authentication. This information is used solely to create and manage your account and is linked to your identity.
1.2 — Microphone & Speech-to-Text Data
Living Library includes a speech-to-text feature that allows you to add notes to your books using your voice. To use this feature, the App requires access to your device's microphone.
- Microphone access is only activated when you explicitly initiate a voice note recording
- Audio captured during speech-to-text is processed in real time to convert your speech into text
- We do not store raw audio recordings on our servers — audio is processed solely for transcription
- Transcribed text (your notes) is stored within the App and associated with the relevant book in your library
- You may revoke microphone access at any time through your device's Settings app
1.3 — Firebase Authentication
We use Firebase Authentication (provided by Google) to manage user accounts. Your name and email address are processed by Firebase as part of sign-in. Please refer to Google's Privacy Policy for information on how Firebase handles this data.
1.4 — Information from Third Parties
If you use the book discovery or recommendation feature, we may retrieve publicly available book metadata — such as titles, authors, cover images, and genre information — from third-party book databases. We do not share your personal data with these providers beyond what is necessary to return search results.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Create and authenticate your account using your name and email address
- Associate your library data, notes, and reading progress with your account
- Operate and maintain your personal library, reading progress, and notes
- Enable the speech-to-text note feature using your microphone
- Power the Discover page with book recommendations based on general genre preferences
- Allow you to share book recommendations with friends
- Display your reading statistics and goal progress
- Send you push notifications related to your reading activity (subject to your preferences)
- Diagnose technical issues and improve App performance
- Comply with applicable legal obligations
Permissions We Request
Living Library requests the following device permissions:
Microphone
Required for speech-to-text note recording. Only active when you initiate a voice note. Revoking access disables this feature only — all other features remain fully functional.
Push Notifications
Used to send optional reading reminders, goal updates, and activity alerts. You can control exactly which notifications you receive from the profile page in the App, or disable them entirely in device Settings.
Data Storage & Security
Your data is stored securely using industry-standard practices. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure.
Your personal library data, notes, and reading statistics may be stored locally on your device and/or backed up to secure cloud storage, depending on your device settings. We recommend keeping your device operating system and the App up to date to benefit from the latest security protections.
While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your data only in the following limited circumstances:
- With service providers who assist us in operating the App (such as cloud hosting providers), under strict confidentiality agreements
- When you choose to share book recommendations with friends through the App's sharing feature
- If required by law, regulation, or valid legal process such as a court order or government request
- In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify you before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy
Children's Privacy
Living Library is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete such information from our records.
Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access — Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction — Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion — Request that we delete your personal data
- Restriction — Request that we limit how we process your data
- Portability — Request a portable copy of your data in a structured format
- Objection — Object to certain types of data processing
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will notify you through the App or by updating the effective date at the top of this policy. Your continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.