While the Lean Library extension collects technical data to support the service to libraries, this data is anonymous and does not contain personally identifiable information.
Mozilla's data privacy requirements for Firefox extensions require users to be given an appropriate choice regarding data collection. To comply with these requirements, Lean Library has introduced an anonymous data collection prompt for users of the Firefox extension.
This does not mean that Lean Library has started collecting personal data. The change relates to how consent for the anonymous data required by the extension is presented and managed for Firefox users.
How will this affect Firefox users?
Anonymous data collection
This change has now been implemented for the Lean Library extension on Firefox. Firefox users are prompted to choose whether they agree to the anonymous data collection required by the Lean Library extension. The prompt provides two options:
Agree to anonymous data collection: The user consents to the collection of the anonymous data described in the prompt and can continue using Lean Library as normal.
Decline and uninstall Lean Library: If the user does not consent to anonymous data collection, they will not be able to continue using the extension and will be advised to uninstall it.
The anonymous data collected is required for Lean Library to operate as a library-provided service. This includes information needed to associate usage with the correct institution, provide anonymous usage statistics to the subscribing library, and identify and resolve technical issues.
Lean Library does not use this data to personally identify individual users.
How will this affect the statistics reports?
If a Firefox user declines anonymous data collection, they will be required to uninstall the Lean Library extension. Once the extension is uninstalled, no usage data will be collected from that user.
As a result, all usage statistics may be affected, as users who decline anonymous data collection will no longer contribute data to any Lean Library usage reports.
Libraries may therefore see a reduction in their reported usage following this change, depending on the number of Firefox users who choose to decline anonymous data collection and uninstall the extension.