Braille Institute of America, Inc. (BIA) is a private, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to eliminating blindness and severe sight loss as a barrier to the fulfillment of life. We respect the privacy of every individual who utilizes our services, who donates to our organization, or who visits our Websites. We recognize that you may be concerned about the information you provide to us, and how we treat that information. Because your privacy is important to us, we provide you with notice and choices about the collection and use of your information. This policy describes our personal information practices.
Nondiscrimination Policy Statement
Braille Institute declares and affirms a policy of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in providing our services to the public. Braille Institute admits students and clients of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students and clients of Braille Institute. We do not discriminate on the basis of any class protected by California or federal law in the administration of our educational policies, admission policies and programs.
What Information Do We Collect? How Do We Use It?
When you request information about a service or product, register with one of our programs, or make a donation, we may need to know specific information about you in order to process your registration/requests and reply to your needs promptly.
Our forms may require you to give us contact information (like your name, e-mail, and address), credit card information, or demographic information (like your ZIP code or age).
We Collect Two Types of Information
Personal information: If you register as a student, volunteer, order a book, request information, or donate, for example, we may collect the following information: first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone number, e-mail address, credit card information (for donations) or subject of inquiry.
Standard Web server traffic pattern information: On our Websites, general traffic, site usage, and length of stay information is collected and stored in log files. We use this information to improve our sites, but we do not and will not match usage data with personal information to track individuals. This type of information is shared externally only on an aggregated basis.
Websites
We recognize that visitors to our Websites may be concerned about the information they provide to us, and how we treat that information. By visiting a Braille Institute website, you accept the practices described in this privacy policy.
Is Credit Card Information Secure?
We care about the safety and security of your transaction. If you provide us with credit card information, Braille Institute will not disclose to third parties your credit card information, except to the extent necessary to complete a transaction initiated by you. Braille Institute and companies we work with to process credit card transactions use high-grade encryption and security protocols. This method is the industry standard security protocol.
Our Commitment to Children’s Privacy
Protecting the privacy of the very young is especially important. For that reason, we adhere to the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Get more information, related to the Federal Trade Commission’s COPPA.
Do We Share Your Personal Information?
We do not share the personal information of Braille Institute students, clients, library patrons, volunteers or employees. However, we occasionally make the names and postal addresses of donors who are not students, clients, library patrons, volunteers or employees available to other reputable nonprofit organizations. We have found this to be the most cost-effective method of increasing our donor database and hope that our donors value the information they receive from these other organizations. Donor names that we do share are only made available to carefully screened organizations through third-party mailing agents for a limited use. Other organizations will not have continued access to the donor name and address unless the donor chooses to respond to their initial mailing.
Can You Control the Personal Information You Provide to Braille Institute?
We respect your privacy and recognize that you may wish to limit the ways in which we utilize your personal information.
If you are a donor and prefer that we do not share your contact information with other reputable nonprofits organizations or that Braille Institute limits the fundraising appeals you receive, you may, at any time, make your request by either contacting us by telephone, e-mail, regular mail, or visiting one of our regional centers.
Braille Institute of America, Inc. 741 North Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, California 90029-3594 1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553) E-mail: la@brailleinstitute.orgIf you do not wish to opt out at this time, you may do so at a later date should you so desire.
Does Braille Institute Provide You with Access to Your Personal Information?
Upon request, we will provide you with the personal information or contact information we maintain about you. This information will be sent via postal mail, which we believe is the most secure method of communication. To obtain a copy of your personal or contact information, please contact us at the address above.
To protect your privacy and security, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before providing information or making corrections.
Is Our Data Secure?
We are committed to protecting the security of your personal information. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we utilize physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards. Within Braille Institute, your information is stored in password-controlled servers. Our information management systems are configured in such a way as to block or inhibit employees from accessing information that they have no authority to access. Additionally, our staff is educated about the importance of safeguarding your information and we are committed to holding them accountable for protecting your confidentiality.
Please know that the precautions described in this policy do not guarantee complete invulnerability. Accessing our website may make you vulnerable to other types of security breaks. Braille Institute makes no warranty, guarantee or representation that the use of our website is protected from viruses, security threats or other vulnerabilities.
Does Braille Institute Guarantee the Security of Websites the Braille Institute Websites Are Linked to?
Our privacy policy only applies to your use of Braille Institute Websites. Our sites contain links to other sites, including sites for organizations that have a special relationship with us. We do not disclose personally identifiable information to those operating linked sites and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. Links to other sites do not imply an endorsement of the materials or policies on those Websites. You should read the privacy policies of each site you visit to determine what information that site may be collecting about you.
Is This Privacy Policy Ever Updated?
This privacy statement will be updated periodically and posted on our Websites and maintained in the administration offices of Braille Institute. We reserve the right to change this policy at any time by posting revisions.