Privacy Policy

Are you under 13? Before you contact this site, your parent or guardian should review this information:

Cynthia Leitich Smith Children’s and Young Adult Literature Resources is a non-commercial, educational web site directed at teens over 13 and adults. However, because the topic is children’s-YA literature, some younger readers may be attracted to it. Therefore, please note that in compliance with The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act:

Name and Contact Information of Site Operator: Cynthia Leitich Smith; cynthia@cynthialeitichsmith.com. Information collected from children would be:

  1. their email addresses if they send an email.
  2. their names if they sign said email
  3. the URLs of their web sites if included in a signature file.
  4. This information would be collected directly.

The information would be used to answer questions about the site or children’s literature, or perhaps to encourage a young writer/student, via one email response per inquiry. Any child requesting, say, an autographed bookplate or signed bookmark would be asked to have their parent or guardian send a work address. Parents do have the option of agreeing to the collection and use of the child’s information without consenting to disclosure of the information to third parties. In any case, the operator will not require anyone to disclose more information than is reasonably necessary to participate in a condition of participation.

No information gathered will ever be disclosed to third parties; however, visitors should be advised that some sites linked to from this one may be commercial in nature and utilize information-collection technology and procedures of their own.

The act provides an exception for collection of a child’s email address without getting the parent’s consent in advance. These exceptions include contests, online newsletters, homework help, and electronic postcards. Some or all of these activities are in fact sponsored by the site or its affiliated blog. Children under thirteen are asked to have either their parent/guardian subscribe/write for them. Or to write the operator once with the parent/guardian’s contact email so that the operator may secure permission for ongoing communication (via, i.e., newsletter). It is necessary for a parent/guardian to verify their consent with a signed post card.

At any time, a parent/guardian may revoke his/her consent, refuse to allow an operator to further use or collect their child’s personal information, and direct the operator to delete the information. In turn, the operator may terminate any service provided to the child, but only if the information at issue is reasonably necessary for the child’s participation in that activity. For example, the operator may require children to provide their email addresses if they are going to receive the quarterly online newsletter. If the parent/guardian requests that the email be deleted from the operator’s access, then the operator has no way to continue providing the newsletter to the child.

This policy is effective as of April 21, 2000.