What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser. They help websites remember your preferences, understand how you interact with the site, and, where enabled, deliver relevant content. Cookies can be set by the site you visit (first-party) or by third-party services integrated into the site.
How We Use Cookies
Classic Science Fiction Archive uses cookies and similar technologies for several purposes, as described below. Some are strictly necessary for the site to function; others are optional and only activated with your consent. We aim to be transparent about what each type does and how you can control them.
Essential Cookies
These cookies are required for the basic operation of the catalogue. They enable you to navigate the site, save your reading list, and maintain session security. Without them, the site cannot work properly. Essential cookies are always active and do not require your consent. Examples include cookies that remember your login status or keep your selections in a reading list as you move between pages.
Preference Cookies
Preference cookies remember your choices, such as text size, display mode, or language selection. They improve your experience by retaining your settings across visits. These are first-party cookies and are set only if you consent. For instance, if you choose a larger font size for reading a title like Invader From Infinity, a preference cookie will store that choice so you do not have to adjust it each time.
Analytics Cookies
Where enabled, we use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with the catalogue. This helps us improve the site’s usability and content. These cookies collect aggregated, anonymized data and do not identify you personally. If analytics are active, you may opt out at any time. For example, we may learn which pages are most popular—such as guides like Raiders of the Second Moon — Story, Setting & Ideas—and ensure they load quickly.
Advertising Cookies
If advertisements are displayed on the site, advertising cookies may be used to make ads more relevant to you. These cookies may be set by third-party advertising networks, including Google advertising services. They track your browsing across websites to build a profile of your interests. We only enable these cookies with your explicit consent. Without them, you will still see ads, but they may be less tailored to your reading interests.
First-Party and Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by this site directly. Third-party cookies are set by services we use, such as analytics providers or advertising partners. We do not control how third parties use their cookies; their practices are governed by their own privacy policies. You can review those policies via links provided in our cookie banner or settings panel.
Session and Persistent Cookies
Session cookies are temporary and expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. The durations vary depending on the cookie’s purpose. For example, a session cookie might keep you logged in during a single visit, while a persistent preference cookie could store your text size for several months.
Local Storage
In addition to cookies, we may use local storage in your browser to store preferences or session data. Local storage functions similarly to persistent cookies but can hold larger amounts of data. It is used only where necessary for site features, such as caching parts of a reading companion like The Happy Castaway — Reading Companion for offline access.
Your Consent and Choices
When you first visit the site, a cookie banner informs you about the types of cookies used. For non-essential cookies, we ask for your consent before placing them. You can change your preferences at any time through the cookie settings link available on every page. The banner will reappear if you clear your cookies or if we update our policy.
Withdrawing Consent
If you previously consented to optional cookies, you may withdraw that consent by adjusting your settings. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. You can also withdraw consent for specific categories, such as analytics or advertising, without affecting others.
Browser Controls
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can block all cookies, delete existing ones, or receive a warning before a cookie is stored. However, disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the catalogue, including the ability to log in or save your reading progress. For detailed instructions, consult your browser’s help documentation.
Practical Effects of Disabling Cookies
If you disable all cookies, you may still browse the site, but certain features will not work. For example, your reading list may not be saved, and you may see the cookie consent banner on every visit. Disabling analytics or advertising cookies does not impact core site functionality, such as accessing guides like Beer-Trust Busters — Themes and Context or The Beast-Jewel of Mars — Themes and Context.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and where appropriate, we will notify you via the cookie banner or other means. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact the catalogue project at [email protected].