Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2026

The Panjab Library Archive ("we," "us," "the site," "thepunjablib.in") is a digital library dedicated to preserving and sharing Punjabi literature. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

By using this site, you agree to the collection and use of information as described here.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Contact form: name, email address, and message content when you contact us.
• Contribute form: any information you choose to submit when suggesting content or reporting an issue.
• Donations: if you donate, payment is processed by our third-party payment provider (Razorpay). We do not receive or store your card, UPI, or bank details — these are handled entirely by the payment processor under their own privacy policy.
• Account information (if/when user accounts are introduced): email address and any profile details you choose to add.

Information collected automatically

• Usage data: pages visited, time spent, referring pages, device and browser type, approximate location (city/country level), collected via Google Analytics.
• Cookies: used for site functionality (e.g. remembering your language preference) and by third-party services below.
• Download/view activity: which books are downloaded or viewed, used in aggregate to understand what content is popular — not tied to your identity unless you have an account.

2. Third-Party Services We Use

• Google Analytics — helps us understand site traffic and usage patterns. Google's use of this data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy.
• Google AdSense — displays advertising on this site. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this or other websites. You can opt out of personalized advertising via Google's Ads Settings or www.aboutads.info.
• Google Search Console — used to monitor site performance in search results; does not collect personal data from visitors.
• Cloudflare — provides content delivery and security for the site; processes technical/network data as part of delivering site content.
• Affiliate links — some book pages include optional "Buy" links to third-party retailers. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. These retailers have their own separate privacy policies, which we encourage you to review.

3. How We Use Information

We use collected information to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the site
• Respond to contact/support requests
• Understand which content is most useful to readers
• Detect and prevent abuse, spam, or security issues
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information.

4. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We use them for:

• Essential site functionality (language preference, session handling)
• Analytics (Google Analytics)
• Advertising (Google AdSense)

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some site functionality.

5. Data Retention

We retain contact form submissions and analytics data only as long as necessary for the purposes described above, or as required by law. You may request deletion of any personal data you've submitted directly to us (see Section 7).

6. Children's Privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will remove it.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal data. To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@thepanjab.in. Note that some information (e.g. anonymized analytics already aggregated) may not be individually retrievable or deletable.

8. International Visitors

This site is operated from India. If you access the site from outside India, your information may be processed in India or other countries where our service providers (Google, Cloudflare, our hosting/payment providers) operate.

9. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect information submitted to us, but no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy can be sent to: contact@thepanjab.in or via our Contact page.