Privacy Policy

Updated: 9/11/19

Ellefson Books Inc. and its respective successors and assigns (“Ellefson Books,” “we,” “us” or “our”) welcome you. Ellefson Books maintains this website (the “Benjamin Ellefson Site”) in furtherance of our commitment to readers to provide them with a comprehensive resource guide of children’s books written by Benjamin Ellefon and giveaways, events, fun, and more at their fingertips. This Ellefson Books Online Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”) describes the types of personal, financial and other information that we gather from visitors who use or access the web content, products, technology and services provided by Ellefson Books and available on the Benjamin Ellefson Site (collectively, the “Benjamin Ellefson Services”) and how we use the information that we gather. Please carefully read the Privacy Policy before accessing the Benjamin Ellefson Services as it applies to all persons and entities who use or access the Benjamin Ellefson Services, including you (each a “User”), and constitutes an agreement between you and Ellefson Books. By accessing the Benjamin Ellefson Services, you signify that you have read the Privacy Policy and agree to be bound by it and the Ellefson Books Terms of Use (“Terms”) available on our Terms of Use page, as well as any applicable laws and regulations. We may update the Privacy Policy from time to time. Each time you use any of the Benjamin Ellefson Services, the current version of the Privacy Policy will apply. Accordingly, when you use the Benjamin Ellefson Services, you should check the date of the Privacy Policy (which appears at the top) and review any changes. If you do not agree with the Privacy Policy, you may not access or otherwise use the Benjamin Ellefson Services.

1. Overview on Collection and Sharing of Information

The Privacy Policy applies only to information that you provide to Ellefson Books through the Benjamin Ellefson Services. It does not apply to information that Ellefson Books may have obtained through other means, including but not limited to traditional mailing lists. Ellefson Books allows a number of Advertisers (as defined below) and vendors to offer their services (each a “Vendor”) through the Benjamin Ellefson Site. Information that you provide to a Vendor is governed by that Vendor’s policies and procedures.

Information that we gather from Users falls into two broad categories: Personal Data and Aggregate Data.

2. Collection and Sharing of Personal Data

Personal Data is information that could reasonably be used to identify you, such as your name, address, email address, birth date, financial information, telephone number or any combination of the foregoing (“Personal Data”). We use Personal Data to provide you with Benjamin Ellefson Services that you have requested. By voluntarily providing Personal Data, you consent to the collection and use of your Personal Data in accordance with the Privacy Policy. If you do not wish to provide the requested Personal Data or if you do not agree to have us use the information for the purposes identified, it is your responsibility to decline to use those Benjamin Ellefson Services for which the Personal Data is sought. You can access and enjoy a wide range of Benjamin Ellefson Services without providing us with any Personal Data. However, certain Benjamin Ellefson Services do require that you provide some amount of Personal Data. For example, and without limitation, Users who wish to use the [Contact Us] and [Newsletter Sign-Up], participate in a contest or survey, create a User account, link to third party websites through the Benjamin Ellefson Services, and communicate with Ellefson Books via electronic mail, may be required to provide varying amounts of Personal Data. When you submit Personal Data to us, we may add it to our database. Personal Data may also be disclosed to Ellefson Books employees, independent contractors and agents who need to know that information in order to operate, develop or improve the Benjamin Ellefson Services.

You can request to review, change, update or delete Personal Data that you have previously submitted to us. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before we grant you access to your Personal Data and comply with your request. Please be aware that even after such a request is processed, Ellefson Books may, for a time, retain residual information about you in our backup and/or archival copies of our database.

3. Collection and Sharing of Aggregate Data

Aggregate Data is information that does not personally identify you such as frequency of visits to the Benjamin Ellefson Site, page views, Benjamin Ellefson Services most frequently accessed, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, referrer addresses, where your computer is routing from, your browser type and version, or your operating system and platform (“Aggregate Data”). We use Aggregate Data to help us develop and improve the Benjamin Ellefson Services overall.

Cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that websites transfer to your computer’s web browser for storage on your computer’s hard drive. Ellefson Books uses persistent cookies on the Benjamin Ellefson Site. A persistent cookie will remain on your hard drive even after you leave a given website and close your browser. When you return to the same website that placed the cookie on your hard drive, the website may then access the cookie.

Ellefson Books uses cookies for the purpose of distinguishing your browser as a previous visitor to the Benjamin Ellefson Site by tracking repeat visits to the Benjamin Ellefson Site by you through your IP address. Ellefson Books also uses cookies to identify which parts of the Benjamin Ellefson Site are most visited by you and how much time you spend in a particular part of the Benjamin Ellefson Site. The cookie is loaded on your browser during the initial visit to the Benjamin Ellefson Site. The cookies Ellefson Books uses do not collect personally identifiable information from you such as names, addresses or email addresses. Only your IP address and a time stamp of your arrival are collected.

The information collected by Ellefson Books through cookies is used strictly for statistical analysis of usage trends related to the Benjamin Ellefson Site. Ellefson Books does not share, sell, transfer or provide any information collected through cookies to any third parties. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you turn off cookies or refuse them, though, you may not be able to use every portion of the Benjamin Ellefson Site.

Click-Throughs. Ellefson Books or a third party authorized by Ellefson Books may send email messages which use a “click-through” text or graphic link that will take you to content on the Benjamin Ellefson Site. When you click on this link, you pass through our web server before arriving at the destination web page. If we use this feature, we will track click-through data to help determine our users’ interest in particular topics and measure the effectiveness of our customer communications. If you prefer not to be tracked by using click-throughs, do not click text or graphic links in the email.

Advertising. The Benjamin Ellefson Site may contain advertisements provided by third party advertisers (each an “Advertiser”). An Advertiser may place or utilize its own cookie on your browser, and may collect Aggregate Data about your visit to the Benjamin Ellefson Site, including but not limited to the number of times you viewed an advertisement. If an Advertiser requests that you provide any Personal Data, that Advertiser’s use and collection of the information will be governed by the Advertiser’s own privacy policy, and not our Privacy Policy. We recommend that you review any Advertiser’s privacy policy before providing Personal Data.

4. Opting Out of Certain Communications

Users are given the choice to opt-out of certain optional communications from us and our affiliates and marketing partners. To “opt-out” you may send an opt-out request to us at author@benjaminellefson.com with the word “unsubscribe” in the email subject line. Users should allow a reasonable amount of time for the opt-out request to be processed. Please be aware that your opt-out choice may mean that certain features and functions of the Benjamin Ellefson Services will no longer be available to you.

5. Sharing, Selling and Trading Aggregate Data Collected Online With Third Parties

Ellefson Books takes the privacy of our Users very seriously. We do not sell, rent or otherwise provide your Personal Data to third parties for marketing purposes without your prior consent. We may however sell, share or trade Aggregate Data to third parties.

6. Disclosures Required by Law

It is possible that we may need to disclose Personal Data when required by law, such as responses to civil or criminal subpoenas, or other requests by law enforcement personnel, to establish or exercise our legal rights or, defend against legal claims and if in our judgment in such circumstances disclosure is required or appropriate.

We may also share Personal Data if we believe it is necessary in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of our Terms, or as otherwise required by law.

We may disclose your Personal Data and Aggregate Data to a third party as part of a reorganization or a sale of the assets of Ellefson Books. Any third party to which we transfer or sell Ellefson Books assets will have the right to continue to use the Personal Data and Aggregate Data that you provide to us, subject to this Privacy Policy as may be amended.

7. Children and Privacy

We are concerned about the safety of children when they use the Internet, and understand that children may not understand all the provisions of our Privacy Policy or make informed decisions about the choices that are made available to adult users of the Benjamin Ellefson Services. We encourage parents and guardians to spend time with their children online and to be familiar with the sites their children visit. The Benjamin Ellefson Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. If we learn that a child under the age of 13 has provided Personal Data, we will comply with Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (“COPPA”) to delete the information or obtain verifiable parental consent in accordance with COPPA.

8. International Transmission of Data

The Internet is a global environment. Using the Internet to collect and process personal data necessarily involves the transmission of data on an international basis. This means that your information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your jurisdiction. By using Benjamin Ellefson Services and/or communicating electronically with us, you acknowledge and agree to our processing of your Personal Data in this manner, and agree to be bound by the applicable privacy laws that Ellefson Books is governed by as well as the jurisdiction and venue provisions of the Ellefson Books Terms.

9. Links to Other Websites

The Benjamin Ellefson Services contain links to websites operated by other people or companies. The Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of third party sites, which may have their own privacy policies or no privacy policy at all. While we try to link only to sites that share our high standards and respect for privacy, Ellefson Books does not control the content of third party sites and takes no responsibility for their content, nor should it be implied that Ellefson Books endorses or otherwise recommends such sites or the products or services offered. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and terms of use of any third party sites or services before providing any of them with any of your personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy applies only to the Benjamin Ellefson Services.

Ellefson Books Vendor Sites. Sites hosted by Vendors may be accessed through the Benjamin Ellefson Services. In some cases, these sites may maintain the look and feel of the Benjamin Ellefson Site. Nonetheless they are governed by the Vendor’s policies and not those of Ellefson Books. It is your responsibility to review the relevant privacy policies prior to accessing the services available on such Vendors sites.

10. Security

Ellefson Books uses a variety of safeguards to protect your Personal Data. However, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we cannot ensure or warrant its absolute security. Consequently, when you transmit your Personal Data to us, you do so at your own risk.

If you create a User account, your account information will be password protected. It is important for you to protect against unauthorized access to your login information, password and to your computer. Be sure to log off from the Benjamin Ellefson Services when finished using a shared computer. We strongly request you not to communicate any confidential information to Ellefson Books through email or any other means.

If Ellefson Books learns of a security systems breach, we may attempt to notify you electronically so that you can take appropriate protective steps. By using the Benjamin Ellefson Services or providing Personal Data to us, you agree that we can communicate with you electronically regarding security and privacy issues related to the Benjamin Ellefson Services. Ellefson Books will endeavor to provide notice to you of any security systems breach and efforts to restore the integrity of the Benjamin Ellefson Services in accordance with applicable law. If you become aware of any breach of data security or have any other questions about the security of the Benjamin Ellefson Services, please contact us at: author@benjaminellefson.com.

11. Changes to Privacy Policy

We will post material changes to this Privacy Policy here at least 10 business days before they take effect. Any information we collect under the current Privacy Policy will remain subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy, until you accept the new Privacy Policy by accessing or using the Benjamin Ellefson Services after the changes take effect.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy or the information collection and dissemination practices of Ellefson Books, please contact us at author@benjaminellefson.com.