Vintage Binoculars

Privacy & Cookie Policy

Introduction

The Modes Users Association (MUA) takes your privacy seriously and we are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy sets out how we use and protect the information that you provide us when you use this website or subscribe to our services. It applies to data shared online, stored in our computer system or in hard copy. Where we ask you to provide information by which you can be identified when using our websites, or any MUA services, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We will always explain clearly what data we are collecting about you and why. We will only collect data we need to give you a better experience; to improve and deliver our services to you; and to meet our responsibilities to you.

About us

Modes is the most widely used collections management system in UK museums, with more than 680 organisations currently using Modes.

All Modes users who pay their annual subscription are members of the MUA, and there are now more than 680 member organisations. As part of the MUA, members join an active community with the opportunity to shape the future of collections management.

The Modes suite of programmes was developed by the Museum Documentation Association (MDA) who released the first version in 1987. MUA was formed in 1996. We have been developing the software and supporting users ever since. As a Spectrum Partner, Modes helps museums put the Spectrum standard into practice. The Collections Trust maintains and develops Spectrum: the UK standard for collections management (“Spectrum”) on behalf of museums in the UK and in many other countries.

The Modes Users Association is a company limited by guarantee (company number 718360240). The registered address is Sadler Bridge Studios, Bold Lane, Derby, DE1 3NT.We are registered with the Office of the Information Commissioner ICO Number ZA543502.
The terms ‘Modes Users Association’, ‘Modes’, ‘we’ and ‘us’ in this statement mean the Modes personnel who are based at our office in Derby.

If you have any questions about this Policy, you can contact us by email at dataprotection@modes.org.uk or you can telephone 01332 742512.

Alternatively, you can write to us at:

Modes
Sadler Bridge Studios
Bold Lane
Derby
DE1 3NT

What information we collect from you

We may collect the following information from you when you join MUA, place bookings, complete surveys or application forms, provide services to us, contact us for support or submit an order for software or services from us:

  • your name
  • date of birth
  • addresses home and work
  • contact email address
  • contact telephone numbers (home, work and mobile)
  • date of joining MUA
  • membership status
  • organisation name and address
  • user name and password you use to sign in
  • the IP address you use to log in
  • to verify your membership and issue a unique member ID
  • your credit card and /or bank details
  • purchases you have made from us
  • enquiries and contacts you have made to us
  • online self assessment tools

How we use your information

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service. We will only use personal information for the purpose it was collected. Most commonly, this will include the following circumstance

  1. When we need to perform services relating to a contract we have entered into with you, this could include:
    • When you subscribe to our services
    • For application and registration purposes prior to participating in an event, programme or activity.
    • To support, deliver and administer our services, events and activities and to update or inform you about them.
    • To notify you of changes to our software and services;
    • For processing orders that you have submitted;
    • For carrying out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into by you and us.
  2. Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party), and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Usually this will include:
    • For internal record keeping;
    • To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our programmes, events, and activities, through data tracking, research, statistical analysis, and surveys;
    • To contact you with updates and information about our events, programmes and activities that may be relevant to you;
    • To seek you views or comments on our software and services;
    • To send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about using our software and services, training courses and other events provided by MUA.
  3. Where you have given your consent for MUA to provide you with information about MUA programmes, events, and activities that we think may be relevant to you. We will only send electronic marketing messages in the following circumstances:
    • When you have consented by completing the relevant field on our web forms, event registration forms, programme application forms and/or evaluation forms.
    • To monitor the volume, type and pattern of traffic using our website, to improve the effectiveness of our website and the services offered by MUA.
    • Send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about using our software and services, training courses and other events provided by us.
    • Seek your views or comments on our software and services.
    • To take photographs, audio and video footage at our events, programmes, and activities for use in MUA digital and printed materials, communications, publications, and social media sites to promote the benefits of MUA.

If you do not want us to use your data in this way you can use the unsubscribe link in our email communications at any time to opt out.

We may also use your personal information in the following situations, which are likely to be rare

  • Where we need to comply with a legal obligation.
  • Where we need to protect your vital interests (or someone else’s interests).
  • Where it is needed in the public interest or for official purposes.

How long we hold your Information

MUA has a variety of obligations to keep the data that you provide us. These include ensuring that transactions are processed correctly, identifying fraud, and complying with any laws and rules that apply to us and to our service providers. MUA ensure that your data is not held for longer than is necessary. We hold the information that you provide to us while you are an active, registered user and member, when you register for our services or as long as is set out in any contract you hold with us. Therefore, even if you close your account or membership with us, we may keep certain data (such as membership information) to meet our obligations but for no longer than required or permitted by law.

We review our retention periods for personal information on a regular basis.

Where we store and protect your Information

Your information is held securely in the UK. Information may be stored and processed in any country in which our suppliers operate. If your information is transferred outside the UK for these purposes, then we take appropriate measures to ensure that your data remains protected at all times to the standard imposed by the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation and as set out in this Privacy Policy. In certain circumstances, courts, law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies or security authorities in those other countries may be entitled to access your personal data.

We are committed to ensuring that your data is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial processes to safeguard and secure the information we collect. Our website is maintained on a secure server. All our suppliers meet the standards required under data protection legislation. Staff training is undertaken regularly, and checks are made by IT staff to ensure that data quality is maintained.

MUA operates a strict security policy. All messages that contain viruses are quarantined and deleted. Quarantine areas within the email system are checked regularly through the working day. Unfortunately, no data transmission or storage system is completely secure. If you feel the security of your account or interaction with us has been compromised, pleases contact us immediately. If such a disclosure were to occur, then we will contact you as soon as possible to explain what has happened and take all steps required of us to meet our legal obligations.

How we share your Data

We will never sell or rent your information to third parties. We will only share your data when there is a legal basis to do so. Any data we share will be used by suppliers and third party processors for the purposes of:

  • Delivering and improving our services for example, software support;
  • Monitoring in line with this policy;
  • Storing your data.

Your rights in controlling your personal data

We will not sell, share, distribute or rent your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission, or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen and give your consent.

You can ask us to make changes in how your data is handled and we will respond promptly should a request be made. You have the following rights over the personal data about you that we are holding and processing:

Right to be informed. This Policy provides you with information in relation to how your data is processed. This ensures that we are transparent about what we will do with the information you supply to us.

Right of access. You may request details of personal information which we hold about you. This is called a Subject Access Request. See Making a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR).

Right to request information held is accurate and how to update it. If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please email us at dataprotection@modes.org.uk. We will respond as quickly as possible.

Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete information about you and stop processing or publishing it (often called the Right to be Forgotten).

Right to object to the processing that is likely to cause you damage or distress. Where you challenge the accuracy or lawful processing of your information, we will consider this.

Right to receive an electronic copy of any information you have consented to us holding known as data portability. You can ask us to provide the personal data about you that you have provided to us and that we hold, securely and in a machine-readable format, so it can be moved, copied or transferred to be used across different services or for you to give to another organisation.

Right to object. We will ensure that we have the right consents in place for sending you information. You can unsubscribe from our mailings and remove your details at any time. If you wish to stop receiving communications from us, you will be able to do so by contacting us at dataprotection@modes.org.uk

Rights related to automated decision making. If there is additional profiling based on the information we hold, then you can object to us making decisions about you based on such processing.

You can update the information we hold about you by logging on to our website and selecting your account profile. Or contact us by email at dataprotection@modes.org.uk or telephone 01332 742512.

How we use Cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree by clicking the Accept button on the website, the file is added, and the cookie helps analyse web traffic, recognises you as a return user or lets you know when you visit a particular site or part of a site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences such as identifying your computer’s previous visits to a site or enabling MUA to present specific information to you.
The MUA site, and all other MUA applications, use session cookies that allow you to:

  • Carry information across pages of the site;
  • Avoid having to re-enter information;
  • Maintain a booking form;
  • Allow you after login to access information as a member.

No new information about you is stored in the session cookie and it is deleted automatically as soon as you close the browser window to leave the site. No other forms of cookies are used, and we do not place any code on your computer. We do not use cookies to customise the web page content or any advertising.
Most web browsers automatically accept such cookies, but you can modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. Note this may affect your use of the site.

We use carefully selected third party suppliers to help us provide the services offered by our website. Each of our partners adheres to the data protection standards we require.

Links to other websites

This website contains links to other websites of interest. Once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. MUA is not responsible for the content of these sites. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint about how we have processed your personal information, or you have any questions about your data then please contact dataprotection@modes.org.uk. If we cannot resolve the issue to your satisfaction, then you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office:

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Privacy Policy updates

We keep this Policy under regular review. Please check this page occasionally to ensure that you are aware of any changes.

Published 17 May 2018. Last reviewed May 2021.