Prelude Music Planner Privacy Policy

Augsburg Fortress is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy covers Augsburg Fortress’ treatment of personally identifiable information that is collected by Augsburg Fortress when you are at the PRELUDE Web site.

About Us

Augsburg Fortress (“Publisher”) created, maintains and operates the PRELUDE Web site (the “Site”) as a service to churches and other organizations (the “Congregations”) who use this Site as part of their local worship programs.

Purpose and Scope of this Privacy Policy

The Site is designed to serve users of PRELUDE. Since users of PRELUDE could be children under the age of 13, this Privacy Policy specifically addresses the collection and use of information regarding these under-age users. This Privacy Policy is part of the PRELUDE Terms of Use.

Definitions

As used in this Privacy Policy:

• The term “User” refers to persons who are affiliated with and authorized by a church or organization that has subscribed to PRELUDE in order to plan worship.

• The terms “child and children” refer to children under the age of 13.

• The term “parent” refers to a child’s parent or legal guardian.

• The term “personal information” refers to information that identifies a particular individual, alone or in combination with any other information that may be available to us.

Your Consent

By accessing and using this Site, you are consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in this Privacy Policy. If you do not consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in this privacy policy you may not use this Site.

How Do We Protect Your Personal Information?

Web Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect the confidentiality and security of the personal information we collect through this Site. Although no website or database is completely secure or “hacker proof,” we will monitor and improve such precautions as circumstances warrant.

Password Protection

For your protection, every user must log in each time they visit the Site. Users will have access to your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. We have the right to assume that anyone who accesses this Site using a password is, in fact, the user to whom the password is assigned, and we will grant access accordingly.

What Personal Information do we collect through this Site?

When you use this Site, we may collect personal information in the following ways:

Information You Actively Provide

We collect the personal information you actively provide (using your mouse or keyboard) when you use this Site.

Information Provided by Your Congregation’s Curator(s)

Any User of your Prelude subscription may provide your full name and e-mail address.

Information Sent to Us by Your Web Browser

We collect information that is sent to us automatically by your web browser. This information typically includes your computer’s IP address, the address of the web page you were visiting when you accessed our Site, the name of the operating system (such as Windows® or Macintosh®) installed on your computer, the name and version of the browser (such as Safari® or Internet Explorer®) you are using, and the date and time of your visit. The information we receive depends on the settings on your web browser. Please check your browser if you want to learn what information the browser sends or how to change your settings.

The information provided by your browser does not identify you personally. We use this non-personal information primarily to create statistics that help us improve our Sites and make them more compatible with the features and technology used by our visitors. We do not link browser information to information that identifies you personally; however, if we suspect criminal activity, we might share our server logs – which contain visitors’ IP addresses – with the appropriate investigative authorities who could use the information to trace and identify individuals.

Information Collected Using “Cookies” and other Web Technologies

We use “cookies,” and similar technologies to collect information and support the functionality of this Site. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer’s hard disk by a web server. Cookies cannot be used to install computer programs or deliver viruses to your computer. We may use two types of cookies – “session cookies” and “persistent cookies.”

Session Cookies

A “session cookie” assigns a randomly-generated, unique identification number to your computer when you access this Site. Assigning a number to your computer permits us to follow you as you move from page to page within the website. A session cookie expires after you close the browser.

Generally we use session cookies to collect information about the way visitors use our Site, such as which pages they visit, which links they use, and how long they stay on each page. We analyze this information (known as “click-stream information”) to better understand the interests and needs of our visitors and to improve the content and functionality of our Site. Session cookies are also used to facilitate the proper functioning of the features of our Site. For example, session cookies let us follow you as you complete a multi-page quiz or survey. Without the session cookie, we could not collect all of your answers as you move from page to page. Session cookies do not identify you personally. However, once you log in, we know your identity and we may link the information collected by our session cookies to information that identifies you personally and store it with other information we have collected from or about you.

Persistent Cookies

We use persistent cookies to remember your login name for future logins. These persistent cookies will identify you as a parent or a leader and may contain other information that will allow us to provide you with a personalized online experience. Unlike a “session cookie,” a persistent cookie does not expire when you close your browser. It stays on your computer until it expires (for example, at the end of the academic year) or until you delete it.

Rejecting Cookies

You have the ability to set your browser to reject cookies; however, if you set your browser to reject cookies, you will not be able to use key features and functionalities of this Site. The Site allows you to choose not to save your login/username.

Information Collected About Under-Age Users

The information collected about users under the age of 13 is subject to the user complying with the Childrens Online Privacy and Protection Act. The website is not intended to be used by anyone under the age of 13 without verifiable consent from a parent or guardian. The subscribing church is responsible for obtaining and keeping on file this permission until the child is 13 years of age.

How Do We Use The Personal Information We Collect Through This Site?

We use the information from your visit to allow you or your church’s PRELUDE Curators to schedule you for worship events, to fulfill your requests for products and services, for internal tracking purposes, to make the PRELUDE Web site useful and interesting to you, to respond to your requests for information, and to contact you about specials, new products and related information. By using our site, you consent to the collection and use of certain information by the Publisher as explained in this Privacy Policy.

The Publisher will send personally identifiable information about you to other companies or people ONLY when:

• We have your consent to share the information.

• We need to share your information to provide the product or services you have requested.

• We need to send the information to companies that work on behalf of the Publisher to provide a product or service to you. (Unless we tell you differently, these companies do not have any right to use the personally identifiable information we provide to them beyond what is necessary to assist us.)

• We respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal processes.

Any other information, feedback, data, questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the content of this site will not be considered confidential, and the Publisher will be free to reproduce, use, disclose, and distribute the response to others, without limitation. You agree that the Publisher is free to use any ideas, concepts, or techniques contained in your response for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to developing, manufacturing and marketing products incorporating those ideas, concepts or techniques.

Online Orders

When you place an order for any product or service that is fee-based, we need your name, e-mail address, mailing address, credit card number, credit card security code and expiration date. This allows us to process and fulfill your order, to contact you if any questions arise, and to notify you of your order status. We maintain a record of your purchases, product interests, and the information you provide. Reputable third-party financial institutions handle our credit card transactions. Whenever you transmit credit card information and other personal information through our site, the numbers and letters are scrambled using encryption technology, making it nearly impossible for the information to be stolen or intercepted. The security of your personal information is very important to us, and we are committed to protecting the information we collect. The Publisher has security measures in place at its physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of any information that we have collected from you at our site.

E-Mail, Mailing Lists, and other Services

The Publisher does not sell, rent, trade, or give away your personal information to any third parties.

We use personal information to provide the information, products and services you request. We also use personal information to respond to your requests. For example, 

• We use Users’ usernames and passwords to control access to various portions of our Site.

• We use the information you provide on the “Contact Us” page to provide the information and assistance you request.

We also maintain personal information on behalf of Users. Users may use this information to communicate with others on their account, outside of Prelude.

We also study the personal information we collect through our Site to improve our programs and services and to improve the content, functionality, navigation and usability of this Site. 

We will not use your personal information for marketing purposes unless we give you an opportunity to “opt-out.”

The Publisher operates discussion forums on the PRELUDE Web site. The ownership of, responsibility for, and other related issues concerning content posted on discussion forums is governed by this Site’s Terms of Use and the church’s Membership Agreement.

With Whom Do We Share The Personal Information We Collect Through This Site?

We share personal information collected through our sites with companies and organizations that perform services on our behalf, such as data storage and web hosting services. These companies and organizations are required by contract to use the personal information we share with them only to perform services on our behalf (and not for their own purposes) and to protect confidentiality.

Leaders and Congregations

We share users’ personal information with Users of the church’s Prelude program for use as described in this Privacy Policy.

Our Successors

We may transfer the personal information we collect through this Site to another company (either an affiliate or an unrelated third party) that has acquired the assets of the Publisher, one of its affiliates, or one of its operating divisions, for example, as the result of a sale, merger, reorganization, dissolution or liquidation. If such a transfer occurs, the acquiring company will “step into our shoes” and collect, use and share your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Other Limited Circumstances

There are other limited circumstances in which we may share the personal information in our databases with unrelated third parties. For example, we may disclose the personal information we collect through this Site when we, in good faith, believe disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law or a regulatory requirement or to comply with a subpoena or court order; to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to enforce a contract; to protect the rights, property or safety of the Publisher, the students, leaders, and other users; or to protect the vital interests of a user.

Not for Marketing Purposes

We do not share your personal information with third parties to use for their own marketing purposes.

This Privacy Policy May Change

We are continually improving and adding to the functionality and features of this Site. As a result of these changes (or changes in the law), we may need to update or revise our Privacy Policy. Accordingly, we reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy, at any time and without prior notice, by posting the revised version of this Privacy Policy on this Site. These changes will only apply to personal information we collect after we have posted the revised Privacy Policy. Your use of our Site following any such change constitutes your agreement that all personal information collected from or about you through this Site after the revised Privacy Policy is posted will be subject to the terms of the revised Privacy Policy.

You may access the current version of this Privacy Policy by clicking on the hyperlink marked “Privacy Policy” at the bottom of each page of this Site.

This Privacy Policy was last revised on: January 16, 2012.

Removing or Updating Your Information

If you have provided Augsburg Fortress with your contact information, but wish to have your name removed from our database or promotional mailing list, please send an e-mail to customercare@augsburgfortress.org.

We would like to keep registered users’ personal information accurate and up-to-date. If you would like to modify or update your personal information, e-mail address, mailing address, billing or preferred shipping information, please e-mail us at the address above or log into your account using your user name and password, and update your information. Please include your full name as well as the postal address and e-mail address that you used when you opened your account or made a purchase. Please allow up to four weeks for the updated information to be processed and incorporated into our systems.

Links to Other Sites

Our site may include links to other sites operated by third parties as a convenience to you. Augsburg Fortress does not necessarily endorse these external sites and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these sites. You should carefully review the terms and conditions and privacy policies of all other websites that you visit.

Your Right to Access Your Personal Information

If you would like to know what information we have collected about you through this Site, or if you would like to review, correct, or have us delete any of your personal information, please contact us by e-mail at salesandservice@augsburgfortress.org or by postal mail at

PRELUDE Sales and Service
c/o Augsburg Fortress
PO Box 1209
Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209

We will employ reasonable efforts to respond to your request within a reasonable time. For your protection, we may ask you for additional information to verify your identity. In most cases, we will provide the access you request and comply with your request to correct or delete your personal information. In some cases, however, we may limit or deny your request if applicable law permits or requires us to do so.

Parents’ Right to Access and Have their Children’s Personal Information Deleted

We believe that you, as a parent, have the right to know the specific types or categories of personal information we have collected regarding your child. In order to facilitate this, the information that is collected about your child is provided by you, the parent. However, we feel you should be able to review the information that has been provided about your child, and request that your child’s personal information be deleted. If you would like to access your child’s personal information or have it deleted, please contact us by e-mail at salesandservice@augsburgfortress.org or by postal mail at

PRELUDE Sales and Service
c/o Augsburg Fortress
PO Box 1209
Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209

We will employ reasonable efforts to respond to your request within a reasonable time. For your protection, we may ask you for additional information to verify your identity. In most cases, we will provide the access you request and comply with your request to correct or delete your personal information. In some cases, however, we may limit or deny your request if applicable law permits or requires us to do so.

This Site is Hosted on Servers in the United States

The Publisher is a non-profit organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This Site is hosted on servers located within the United States.

Different countries have different privacy laws and requirements. Please know, however, that no matter where your personal information is collected, used, transferred or stored, if it was collected through this Site, it will be protected by the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota, U.S.A. without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Links to Other Sites

This Site may contain links to other websites operated by the Publisher. It may also contain links to websites that are owned and operated by unrelated third parties.

This Privacy Policy applies only to personal information collected through this Site. It does not apply to personal information collected on any other website operated by the Publisher or any third party.

Questions about Our Privacy Policy

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or the Publisher’s privacy practices, please contact us by email, telephone or postal mail. Our contact information is as follows:

PRELUDE Customer Care
c/o Augsburg Fortress
PO Box 1209
Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
salesandservice@augsburgfortress.org
(800) 328-4648 or 612-330-3300