Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 27, 2026 • Effective immediately for all Paperwood iOS users
Privacy at a Glance
- No tracking or ads: We do not sell your personal data or include third-party advertising SDKs.
- Camera privacy: Camera permissions are used strictly on-device for barcode and QR code recognition. Video feeds are never stored or uploaded.
- Your data, your library: Your book collection, borrowers, and lending records stay private to you, stored on your device and in your own secure cloud storage.
1. Overview & Commitment
Paperwood ("we", "our", or "the app") is built with a strict privacy-first architecture. We believe that your personal book collection, reading preferences, physical shelf locations, and lending records belong solely to you.
This Privacy Policy explains how Paperwood handles information when you use our iOS application and website (paperwood.vercel.app).
2. Device Permissions & Hardware Usage
To provide library management features, Paperwood requests access to specific iOS device capabilities:
Camera Access (Barcode & QR Code Scanning)
Used exclusively when you activate the scanner to read physical ISBN barcodes or Paperwood spine QR codes. Optical recognition is performed locally using Apple's Vision framework. We do not capture, record, or transmit camera photos or video streams to any external server.
Photo Library Access (Optional Custom Covers)
If you choose to set custom book covers by selecting a photo from your library, that photo is stored locally within the app sandbox on your device.
3. Information Stored
Paperwood manages user-entered and queried library records:
- Book Metadata: Titles, authors, ISBNs, publisher names, page counts, categories, and cover URLs.
- Physical Organization: Shelf labels, bookcase identifiers, and room names created by you.
- Lending Records: Borrower names, contact notes you enter, check-out dates, and return history.
All of this data is stored in your device's local application storage and, if sync is enabled, backed up to your private cloud storage. We do not sell, mine, or share your individual library records.
4. Third-Party Services & ISBN Lookups
When you scan an ISBN barcode or search for a book title, Paperwood queries public book metadata APIs (such as Open Library or Google Books API) to retrieve bibliographic information and official cover artwork.
These queries send only the requested ISBN or search terms and do not transmit personally identifiable user information.
5. Data Synchronization & Storage
If you enable sync, your library records are backed up to secure cloud storage and synchronized seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, and other devices signed in to your account. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and is accessible only to your account.
6. Data Retention, Export & Deletion
You retain complete ownership of your library data:
- Export: You can export your full catalog, QR keys, and lending records as CSV or JSON files at any time.
- Deletion: Deleting an entry, shelf, or borrower in Paperwood removes it immediately from local storage and from your cloud backup. Deleting your account removes all associated library data permanently.
7. Children's Privacy
Paperwood does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under 13. When used in educational or classroom settings, the app operates without requiring student accounts or personal student identification.
8. Changes to this Policy
We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect app improvements, new iOS features, or legal requirements. Any modifications will be posted directly on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
9. Contact Us
If you have questions, feedback, or data privacy requests regarding Paperwood, please reach out directly: