Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 4, 2026

Who we are

The Lit Librarian is a reading recommendation tool published at thelitlibrarian.com. Project lead: Jason Hayes. This policy explains what happens to information when you use the site.

Information you give us

When you run a match, you answer questions about a reader: things like age range, interests, favorite books, preferred formats, and reading goals. When you run the optional reading check, the tool measures reading pace and comprehension answers.

All of that is held in your browser's memory for the length of your visit and used only to generate recommendations on screen. It is not transmitted to us, and it disappears when you close or reload the tab.

Searching the shelf

The search box on the home page runs in two parts. It first looks through our own curated list of titles, which happens entirely inside your browser and is never sent anywhere. It then asks Open Library for anything else that matches, which means the words you typed leave your device and go to Open Library. Search terms are not saved by us, are not tied to you, and are not used for advertising.

The optional microphone feature

The reading check can be done two ways: silently with a timer, or aloud using your device microphone. The microphone is only switched on if you choose the read-aloud option and your browser asks for permission first.

We never record, save, or upload audio. Please note one important detail: the read-aloud feature uses your browser's built-in speech recognition. In some browsers, including Google Chrome, that feature works by sending audio to the browser vendor's own servers for processing. That handling is governed by your browser vendor's privacy policy, not ours. If you would rather avoid it entirely, use the silent timed option instead.

Cookies, analytics, and what is stored in your browser

We do not set advertising cookies, and we do not run third-party analytics or tracking pixels on this site. If that ever changes, we will update this page before the change takes effect.

One small item is saved in your browser's local storage: a flag called ll_plus that records whether Lit Librarian Plus is switched on for this device. It is not a cookie, it is never sent to us, and clearing your browsing data removes it. A ZIP or postal code you enter for library lookups is held only while the page is open and is forgotten when you close the tab.

Third parties involved when you use the site

• Vercel hosts the site. Like any web host, its servers keep standard technical logs, which can include IP address, browser type, and the pages requested.
• Google Fonts supplies the typefaces used here. Loading them means your browser contacts Google's servers, which makes your IP address visible to Google.
• Stripe processes payments for Lit Librarian Plus. Card details go directly to Stripe and never pass through this site.
• Open Library (a project of the Internet Archive) powers the shelf search beyond our own curated list. When you run a search, the words you typed are sent to Open Library's public search service so it can send matching titles and cover images back. Your IP address is visible to them in the process. We do not send them anything else about you, and we do not store your searches.
• Amazon is where book links point. Following one takes you to Amazon, where Amazon's own privacy policy and cookies apply.
• WorldCat is used for the optional local library availability lookup. Following one of those links takes you to WorldCat under its own policies.

Payments and Lit Librarian Plus

Lit Librarian Plus is a paid subscription that adds local library availability to your matches. Payments are handled entirely by Stripe on Stripe's own checkout pages. We never see, handle, or store your card number, and no payment details are typed into this site.

When you subscribe, you give Stripe the information it needs to process the payment, which usually includes your email address, billing details, and card information. Stripe processes that data as its own controller under its privacy policy. We receive from Stripe only what we need to run the subscription, such as your email address and whether the subscription is active. We do not sell or share it.

To cancel, use the link in your Stripe receipt or email us and we will cancel it for you.

Affiliate disclosure

The Lit Librarian participates in the Amazon Associates Program. Book links on this site are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This never changes which books are recommended to you.

Children

This site is built to help parents, caregivers, teachers, and young readers find books together. Because we do not collect or store personal information from anyone, we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. We recommend that a parent or caregiver supervise younger readers using the site, particularly the microphone feature and any links out to Amazon.

Your choices

Nothing you type into the matching questions is stored on our side, so there is nothing there for us to delete. You can clear the Plus flag and anything else held in your browser through your browser's "clear site data" setting. You can decline or revoke microphone permission at any time in your browser settings.

If you subscribe to Plus, Stripe holds your billing record. Email us and we will cancel the subscription and ask Stripe to delete what it can, subject to the records Stripe must keep by law.

Accounts

Accounts are described on the site as a preview and are not yet available. If and when accounts launch, this policy will be updated first to explain exactly what is collected, why, and how to delete it.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the date at the top of the page will change with it. Material changes will be described on this page.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email hello@thelitlibrarian.com.