How This Site Uses Storage Technologies

Classic Science Fiction Archive relies on cookies, local storage, and similar mechanisms to operate, remember your preferences, and understand how readers interact with the catalogue. This policy explains what we store, why, and how you can control it. We never use these technologies to track you across unrelated websites or to build behavioural profiles beyond what is described here.

Essential Cookies and Local Storage

Certain storage is strictly necessary for the site to function. These items do not require your prior consent because the service cannot be provided without them. They include:

• A session cookie that keeps you logged in while you browse (if you have created an account).
• A persistent cookie that remembers whether you have dismissed the cookie notice or chosen optional settings.
• Local storage that records your reading‑list selections so they persist between visits.

These essential items are set by us (first‑party) and are not shared with any third party. Session cookies expire when you close your browser; persistent cookies and stored data may remain until you clear them or until they reach a reasonable expiry period set by the software.

Preference and Functionality Storage

Where you choose to customise your experience — for example, by selecting a display theme or setting a preferred text size — we may store that choice in a cookie or in local storage. This information stays on your device and is used only to deliver the preference you selected. If you do not make such choices, no preference‑related storage is set.

Analytics Storage (Where Enabled)

We may use a privacy‑conscious analytics service to collect aggregated, non‑identifying data about how the catalogue is used — such as which ebook pages are most visited, what browsers and devices are common, and general geographic regions. This helps us improve the site and prioritise restoration work. Where this is enabled, the analytics provider may place a first‑party cookie that generates a random, anonymised identifier. No personal information is transmitted. You can opt out of analytics storage at any time through the consent settings available on this site.

Advertising Storage (Where Ads Are Displayed)

Some pages may display advertisements provided by Google and its partners. If ads are shown, Google may use cookies and other identifiers to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites, to measure ad performance, and to prevent the same ad from appearing too often. These technologies are controlled by Google and are subject to Google’s privacy policy. We do not control which specific cookies Google sets, nor do we receive any personal data from them. You can manage your Google ad preferences at adssettings.google.com. If you disable advertising cookies, you will still see ads, but they will be less relevant to your interests.

Third‑Party Storage

Apart from the analytics and advertising providers mentioned above, we do not embed third‑party services (such as social‑media buttons, comment systems, or external fonts) that would set their own cookies or storage. Any third‑party storage that does occur is limited to the technologies described in this policy and is subject to the respective provider’s own policies.

Your Choices and Withdrawal of Consent

When you first visit the site, you are shown a notice that explains the categories of storage in use. You may accept all optional categories, reject all non‑essential storage, or customise your preferences. Your choice is stored in a persistent cookie so that the notice does not reappear on every visit. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link available in the site footer. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

Browser Controls

Most web browsers allow you to view, block, or delete cookies and local storage through their settings. Please note that if you disable all storage — including essential items — some parts of the site (such as logging in or saving a reading list) may not work correctly. You can also set your browser to notify you when a cookie is being set. For detailed instructions, consult your browser’s help documentation.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use or in legal requirements. When we do, the revised policy will be posted on this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.

Contact

If you have questions about this policy or about how your data is handled, please contact the editor at [email protected].