Terms and Conditions

PUPC BookNook Library System — Draft for institutional review
Draft date: 24 October 2026. Effective date: to be confirmed by PUP Calauan Campus.

This draft describes the current BookNook service and proposed conditions for its use. It must be reviewed and adopted by the authorized campus office before it is presented as an official institutional policy.

1. Service and scope

BookNook supports library services at PUP Calauan Campus. Features include the public catalog, book availability, research-paper listings, e-library links, announcements, account management, library attendance, borrowing and return records, charges and payment records, and library clearance workflows. Campus library staff and authorized administrators manage these services.

These terms apply to Student, Faculty, Alumni, and Administrator accounts. Features depend on the assigned role. Account access does not automatically grant borrowing privileges, access to restricted materials, or authority to perform administrative actions.

2. Registration, credentials, and first access

Provide accurate account and profile information and promptly request corrections when needed. Use only the account assigned to you; do not impersonate another person or share passwords, verification codes, reset links, or account QR codes.

Before accessing protected account services, users must agree to these Terms and Conditions and acknowledge reading the Privacy Policy. Declining signs the user out; acceptance will be requested again on a later login if it has not been recorded. Publicly available pages remain subject to their normal access rules.

Profile Setup requires a password change. The current password must match the account's current credentials. If a password reset has already been completed, use the reset password. A different new password must satisfy the displayed requirements. Successful completion, rather than merely opening or checking a step, is required to access the dashboard.

3. Account security and acceptable use

Keep credentials confidential, sign out on shared devices, and use trusted-device options only on devices you control. Report suspected unauthorized access to the campus library promptly. Never send a password or OTP when requesting support.

Do not attempt to bypass permissions, alter another person's records, introduce malicious scripts or files, disrupt the service, scrape restricted information, or falsify borrowing, payment, attendance, or clearance information. Administrators must use their permissions only for authorized library work and protect information they can access.

4. Borrowing, returns, and availability

The current system permits borrowing by eligible Students and Faculty. Library staff process physical checkout and returns. Borrowing depends on available copies, circulating status, account eligibility, configured limits, outstanding obligations, and applicable campus library rules. A catalog listing is not a guarantee that a copy will remain available when you visit.

Check the recorded titles, copies, due dates, and return status. Take reasonable care of borrowed materials and return them by the recorded deadline. Notify staff promptly about damage, loss, or an incorrect transaction. A book remains subject to return verification by authorized library staff; merely viewing or reporting a return does not complete it.

5. Reservations

Online reservations are not enabled in the current BookNook implementation. Browsing, adding a favorite, or checking availability does not reserve or hold a physical copy. Ask library staff about any available campus arrangements. If an online reservation service is introduced, its eligibility, holding periods, and cancellation rules should be provided before use.

6. Charges and payment records

Overdue, lost, or damaged materials may result in charges under the campus library's authorized rules. Applicable amounts and payment instructions should be confirmed with library staff. These terms do not establish a new fee schedule.

BookNook records assessed charges and payments handled by authorized staff. A payment is not confirmed merely by entering information or pressing a button; check the resulting receipt and transaction status. Keep your receipt and report discrepancies promptly. Users must not submit fabricated payment references or assume a repeated receipt number identifies the same payment. Corrections, waivers, or refunds require review under the applicable institutional procedure.

7. Attendance and library clearance

Use only your own identity for attendance and clearance-related transactions. Clearance depends on the applicable review process and unresolved library obligations. A dashboard status or submitted request does not replace final approval by the authorized office. Ask staff to review errors or disputed obligations before relying on a clearance result.

8. Digital materials and third-party links

Access and use research papers, e-library resources, and other materials only within your permissions and applicable copyright or license conditions. Do not redistribute restricted documents without authorization. External sites may have their own access conditions and privacy notices; opening a link does not transfer BookNook's terms to that site.

9. Personal information

The separate Privacy Policy explains the proposed handling of account, library, security, and transaction information. Acknowledging that notice does not waive privacy rights or authorize unrelated uses of personal information. Optional information should not be treated as mandatory unless an authorized purpose and requirement have been explained.

10. Availability, corrections, and restrictions

Maintenance, connectivity problems, and service errors may temporarily affect access or displayed information. Report errors to library staff and seek instructions if a system issue affects a due date, payment, or clearance. No automatic extension or cancellation of an obligation is created by an outage.

Access may be restricted where justified by account security, authorized library rules, or misuse, with an opportunity to seek clarification or review as applicable. These terms do not exclude responsibilities or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded.

11. Questions, changes, and governing framework

Contact the PUP Calauan Campus library through its verified official channels or in person for account and transaction assistance. Privacy concerns should be referred to the University's authorized privacy contact described in the Privacy Policy. The official contact details must be confirmed before adoption of these drafts.

Material changes should be communicated before taking effect and renewed acceptance obtained when appropriate. These terms are subject to applicable Philippine law and duly authorized campus policies. Published revisions must identify their effective date; acceptance of this draft must not be represented as acceptance of an unannounced future revision.

Privacy Policy

PUPC BookNook Library System — Draft for institutional review
Draft date: 24 October 2026. Effective date: to be confirmed by PUP Calauan Campus.

This draft is prepared for alignment with the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173), its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and relevant National Privacy Commission (NPC) guidance. It describes the observed system and proposed handling commitments; it is not a certification of legal compliance or an already-approved University policy.

1. Responsibility and scope

BookNook supports PUP Calauan Campus library operations for Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Administrators. The proposed accountable institution is the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, acting through the authorized campus library and University offices. The University must confirm the responsible personal information controller, its representative, and the designated Data Protection Officer (DPO) before adopting this notice.

Required publication details: official controller name and address; DPO or privacy office email, postal address, and contact number; and the campus office responsible for privacy requests. These details have not been verified for this draft. Meanwhile, users can approach the campus library in person to request referral to the authorized privacy office. Do not send passwords, OTPs, or sensitive documents to an unverified contact.

2. Information involved

Depending on the account role and services used, BookNook can process:

• Identity and affiliation: names, email address, student or faculty number, assigned role, course, school or department, school-year information, and account/profile completion status.
• Profile information: gender, contact number, and optional profile photograph, where provided or maintained in the account.
• Library activity: borrowed titles and copy identifiers, checkout and due dates, return status, attendance records, favorites, clearance records, and related staff actions.
• Financial records: assessed charges, amounts paid, payment method, receipt or reference information, payment dates, and the administrator who recorded the payment. This notice does not authorize collection of bank passwords, card PINs, or payment-provider OTPs.
• Security and administration: password hashes, verification and reset information, QR identifiers, session and trusted-device information, IP addresses, login attempts, relevant device/browser details, activity logs, and backup records where generated.
• Agreement records: the time at which the account accepted the Terms and Conditions and acknowledged the Privacy Policy.

Information can come from the user, authorized account creation or imports, library transactions entered by staff, and system-generated records. Some identity and educational information requires additional care as sensitive personal information under applicable law.

3. Purposes and lawful processing

Account information supports identification, role-based access, verification, and account assistance. Library records support circulation, attendance, clearance, and communication about obligations. Payment records support transaction reconciliation. Security records support fraud prevention, troubleshooting, and accountability. Authorized reports and backups support library administration and recovery.

Processing should be limited to specified purposes and necessary data. Under RA 10173, each purpose needs a valid basis: for example, an applicable legal duty, an authorized public function, a necessary service arrangement, or valid consent where appropriate. Sensitive information requires a permitted basis under Section 13; ordinary legitimate interest alone is not enough. The University must document the basis for each processing activity before adoption. RA 10173, Sections 11–13

The privacy checkbox acknowledges receipt and understanding of this notice. It is not blanket consent, agreement to marketing, a waiver of rights, or permission for unrelated future processing. Where a separate consent is required, the University should request it for a clear, specific purpose and explain how to withdraw it.

4. Access, sharing, and public information

Access within BookNook depends on account permissions. Library staff and authorized administrators can handle information needed for their duties; designated academic personnel may access records needed for authorized clearance or coordination functions. Public catalog and research listings are separate from private account and borrowing information.

Email delivery, hosting, maintenance, or backup providers may process information if engaged by the University. Their identities, processing locations, and any cross-border arrangements must be confirmed before the final notice is issued. Such access should be covered by appropriate instructions and safeguards. Disclosure to public authorities must have a lawful basis. This draft proposes no sale of personal information or unrelated advertising use.

Opening an external e-library link may expose information to that external service under its own notice. Do not assume that BookNook controls the service's subsequent processing.

5. Sessions, cookies, and automated checks

BookNook uses session and security mechanisms to maintain login state and protect form submissions. The optional trusted-device feature uses a device token to recognize a previously verified device. Avoid enabling it on shared computers; account settings provide session-management functions.

The system applies rules such as password validation, account access checks, due-date calculations, borrowing limits, and charge calculations. These can affect access to services or displayed obligations. Ask library staff for a human review when a result appears wrong; a system-calculated result is not a reason to disregard a correction request.

6. Retention and disposal

Account, library, financial, security, and agreement records may have different retention requirements. Keep records only for a justified purpose and applicable legal or records-management duties; resolve lawful holds before disposal. Backups require their own retention and restricted-access controls. The approved schedule should specify retention triggers, periods, and secure disposal or anonymization methods. Data Privacy Act IRR

To be finalized: the campus-approved periods for each record category and backup set. This draft does not claim that account deletion or automatic timed erasure is already implemented. Logging out, declining the agreement, or withdrawing a consent does not itself erase existing records or extinguish documented library obligations.

7. Security and incidents

Observed application controls include hashed passwords, OTP-related verification, role-based access, protected forms, and validation of account changes. Operational safeguards must also cover staff access, hosting, backups, secure transport, incident response, and recovery. No online service is risk-free. Suspected misuse should be reported promptly through verified institutional channels.

The responsible office should assess incidents and notify the NPC and affected individuals where legally required. The final operational procedure must identify the responsible personnel and reporting channels; this draft does not assert that every breach automatically triggers the same notification duty. Data Privacy Act IRR

8. Your rights and requests

Subject to applicable conditions and exceptions, data subjects may seek information about processing, access to their records, correction of inaccurate data, objection to processing, erasure or blocking, data portability where applicable, and remedies including a complaint to the NPC and damages where warranted. A consent may be withdrawn where consent is the processing basis; another lawful obligation may still justify retaining particular records. NPC: Data Subject Rights

Send a request through the University's verified privacy contact, or ask the campus library to refer it to the responsible office. Explain the record or concern and preferred response channel. Reasonable identity verification may be needed, but never provide your password or OTP. The office should explain the outcome and any lawful limitation rather than promise unconditional deletion. Complaints may also be raised directly through the National Privacy Commission.

9. Agreement, existing accounts, and updates

Both agreement checkboxes are required for protected BookNook services. If declined, the current session ends and the account returns to Login. The existing account is not deleted, and the notice is presented again when agreement remains incomplete. Users may ask library staff about available assistance outside the online account flow.

A notice should be available when data are collected, not only after credentials have been created. The campus should provide this notice with registration, account provisioning, or import-related communications as applicable. It should identify the controller, purposes, recipients, retention, and request channels so individuals can make informed decisions. NPC: Right to Be Informed

The final policy must carry its approval and effective dates. Communicate material changes and seek renewed consent where legally needed. The current agreement timestamps record the initial action; this implementation does not maintain a history of acceptance of multiple policy versions.