What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of data that websites place on your devices or web browser. Cookies allow websites to remember your preferences or actions over time.
There are different types of cookies:
- Session cookies — These last only as long as your 'session' on a web browser, meaning that the cookies are erased when you close your browser
- Persistent cookies — These remain on your device or web browser for a defined period of time
- First-party cookies — These are set by the web server of the page you have visited — in the case of the Library, these cookies are set by the Library
- Third-party cookies — These share a different domain from the page you have visited — in the case of the Library, these cookies are on an external domain.
By law, we need to inform you about our use of cookies. In some cases, the law says that we cannot set particular cookies until you give specific consent for us to do so.
However, there are also types of cookies that may be set without your direct consent — for example, where the cookie is used for authentication or for remembering inputs you have made on a page, such as adding items to a shopping basket.
Why we use cookies
We use cookies to:
- Enhance your experience of visiting our sites
- Help us measure site performance
- Support the delivery of services.
Cookies we use
Cookies that are only set with your permission (optional cookies)
Cookies we set automatically (essential cookies)
Cookie |
Expires |
Source |
What it does |
|
CookieControl |
Expiry: 90 days |
All National Library of Scotland websites (nls.uk) |
Records user’s decision to either accept or decline cookies. Hides cookies information footer |
|
UID |
Expiry: end of session |
NLS user login (nls.uk) |
Sets user login session status |
|
PSET |
Expiry: end of session |
NLS user login (nls.uk) |
Sets user session login type |
|
JSESSIONID |
Expiry: end of session |
Main catalogue login (search.nls.uk) |
Sets user login session status |
|
NLSDIGITALORDERSHOP |
Expiry: 1 year |
Digital orders (digital.nls.uk) |
Identifies if a shopping basket order list exists |
|
NLSDIGITALORDERMAP |
Expiry: 1 year |
||
|
NLS-visited-find |
Expiry: 2 months |
'Help' overlays on the maps website (maps.nls.uk) |
Hides 'help' overlays |
|
NLS-visited-explore |
Expiry: 2 months |
||
|
NLS-visited-viewer |
Expiry: 2 months |
||
|
SSA_FILMS |
Expiry: 1 year |
'My films' on the Moving Image Archive catalogue (movingimage.nls.uk) |
Keeps a list of favourite films if user not logged in |
|
SSA_RATING_UUID |
Expiry: 24 hours |
'My films' on the Moving Image Archive catalogue (movingimage.nls.uk) |
Displays personal film ratings if user is not logged in |
|
ASP.NET_SessionId |
Expiry: end of session |
Jobs website (external site at www.nls.engageats.co.uk) |
Sets user login session status |
|
AtsReferrerCookie |
Expiry: 25 years |
Jobs website (external site www.nls.engageats.co.uk |
Tracks URL referrals |
|
_sg_b_p |
Expiry: end of session |
Alchemer Survey Tool |
Initialise survey beacon |
|
_sg_b_n |
Expiry: 1 month |
Alchemer Survey Tool |
Determine if visitor has already seen the survey |
|
_sg_b_v |
Expiry: 2 months |
Alchemer Survey Tool |
Determine if visitor has taken the survey |
As well as cookies on our own sites, we use third-party services that may set their own cookies.
If you choose to visit our Facebook page, for example, Facebook may set its own cookies on your device. We do not control these cookies, so you should consult the cookie policies set by such third parties.
How to change your cookie preferences
You have the right to accept or stop cookies from being stored on your device at any time. You can restrict or block cookies using your browser settings. For useful information about how to do this, visit the Information Commissioner's Office website.
If you chose to stop cookies through your browser, you may have to adjust some preferences manually every time you visit a site, and some services and functionalities may not work.
Contact us
If you have any questions about our use of cookies, please contact the Rights and Information Manager:
- Email: privacy@nls.uk
- Tel: 0131 623 3700
You can also write to us at:
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
EH1 1EW
See also: Privacy and data protection