Privacy Policy

The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) at Yale University is a non-profit membership organization committed to protecting your privacy. This policy discloses the privacy practices for our membership information, our websites, and our databases.

This privacy policy describes the following:

  • What information we collect
  • With whom information is shared

What information we collect

HRAF collects information for the following purposes:

  • To service our members for database access
  • To understand how our databases are used

Database Access: Membership and Trial Usage

In order to use our research databases, users must have access through a paid membership or a complementary trial. When membership agreements are formed, members or potential members are asked to provide certain information (such as contact information, IP addresses, and billing information) This voluntary information is used to provide members with the services requested. Financial information such as credit card account information is used for billing purposes only. If we experience difficulty processing membership dues, we will contact you.

Members should contact us at any time to update contact information and/or make changes to your membership information.

HRAF analyzes usage logs for a better understanding of how our databases are used. We also compile usage statistics for each member institution. Each member has access to their own usage statistics.

Information gathered automatically

Unless you take steps to browse the Internet anonymously, or opt-out, HRAF, like most institutions and organizations on the Internet, tracks web browsing patterns to inform understanding of how our sites are being used. Generic information is collected through the use of “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to evaluate usage patterns so that we can improve both content and distribution. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser; however, doing so may prevent you from using the full functionality of all of our websites.

HRAF does use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyze how users use our sites. We follow the Yale University privacy policy in this regard. For more information, please see Google Analytics terms of use and Google’s privacy practices.

With whom information is shared

We are the sole owners of the voluntary information collected from our member institutions and on our research databases. Any information you voluntarily provide to us such as names, mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, will never be shared with other organizations or individuals outside of HRAF.

Some pages on our website may contain links to external websites not owned by, or officially affiliated with, the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) in any way. HRAF is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

Contact us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, you may contact:

Human Relations Area Files
755 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511-1225
U.S.A.

hraf@yale.edu
203-764-9401
800-520-4723

Last updated on July 30, 2019 *

* We reserve the right to update or modify this privacy policy at any time. Any changes we may make will be posted on our website and will be effective upon posting.