Our Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies
Public Domain Literature Library (coalh.com) uses cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to support the operation of the catalogue, remember your preferences, and—where you have consented—to help us understand how the site is used and to display advertising that is relevant to you.
What Are Cookies?
A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your web browser. Cookies may be set by the site you are visiting (first-party cookies) or by third-party services, such as analytics or advertising providers (third-party cookies). Some cookies are erased when you close your browser (session cookies); others remain for a period set by the service that placed them (persistent cookies). Local storage works similarly but can hold larger amounts of data and is not automatically cleared when the browser closes.
Cookies serve various purposes: they can help a site remember your login status, store your preferences, or gather aggregated data about how visitors navigate the catalogue. Understanding these distinctions can help you make informed choices about which types of storage you wish to allow.
Categories of Storage We Use
Essential (Strictly Necessary) Storage
These cookies and local storage items are required for the catalogue to function. They enable core features such as secure browsing, maintaining your session, and remembering whether you have consented to optional storage. Essential storage does not require your consent and cannot be disabled through our site. Examples include a session identifier that keeps you logged in when you move between pages, and a consent-status flag that records your cookie preferences.
Without these essential items, basic operations like navigating between catalogue pages or saving your reading preferences would not be possible. They are typically set in response to actions you take, such as setting privacy preferences, logging in, or filling in forms.
Preference Storage
Where enabled, preference cookies allow us to remember choices you make—such as your preferred text display size, reading mode, or the categories you have selected—so that you do not have to set them again on each visit. These are first-party and, if you disable them, some personalised aspects of the site may not work as expected. For example, if you frequently browse the “Fantasy Juvenile Worlds” category, a preference cookie could help us keep that filter active during your session.
Analytics Storage
With your consent, we may use analytics services (including, where applicable, Google Analytics) to collect anonymous information about how visitors interact with the catalogue—for example, which pages are most frequently viewed, how long readers stay on a page, and whether they encounter any errors. This data helps us improve the site and understand which public-domain works and editorial guides are of greatest interest. Analytics cookies are third-party and persistent. No personally identifiable information is collected through these cookies.
The insights we gain from analytics allow us to refine our editorial focus, such as deciding to add more reading companions for titles like “The River of Darkness; Or, Under Africa — Inside the Classic” or “The Bishop of Cottontown: A Story of the Southern Cotton Mills — Reading Companion.”
Advertising Storage
Where the catalogue displays advertisements, we may use Google advertising technologies (such as Google AdSense or Google Ads) to serve ads. These services may place cookies on your device to build a profile of your interests based on pages you have visited across the web and to show you more relevant ads. Such cookies are third-party and persistent. We only enable advertising-related cookies if you have given your consent. You may withdraw consent at any time.
Advertising cookies help support the maintenance of the catalogue by generating revenue, but we respect your choice to opt out. If you decline advertising cookies, you may still see ads, but they will be less relevant to your interests.
Your Consent Choices
When you first visit the catalogue, a cookie consent notice appears. You may choose to accept all categories, reject optional categories, or customise your preferences. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in the footer of every page. Withdrawing consent for optional storage does not affect the essential functioning of the site.
We encourage you to review your settings periodically, as your preferences may change over time. The consent mechanism is designed to be transparent and easy to use.
How to Control and Delete Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to view, block, or delete cookies and local storage through their settings. Please note that if you disable all storage, including essential storage, some parts of the catalogue may not function correctly. You can also opt out of Google’s personalised advertising by visiting Google’s Ads Settings. To learn more about managing cookies across different browsers, consult your browser’s help section.
For example, in many browsers you can set rules to block third-party cookies by default, or clear all cookies when you close the browser. These controls give you additional flexibility beyond the consent options we provide.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use or in legal requirements. Any changes will be posted on this page. We encourage you to check this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact the catalogue project at editor@coalh.com. We are happy to provide further clarification about the specific cookies in use or how your data is handled.