Privacy Policy

Monroe & Ashcraft ("we", "our", or "us") operates the website bjjahanianbook.com (the "Site") and provides rare-book brokerage, appraisal, and consultation services from our studio at 3488 Ashcraft Court, San Diego, CA 92103. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect from visitors and clients, how we use it, and the choices you have. This page is maintained by William Monroe on behalf of Monroe & Ashcraft.

1. Information we collect

1.1 Information you provide directly

• Contact enquiries: when you complete our contact form, email us, or call, we collect your name, email address, phone number (if provided), and the contents of your message.
• Client engagements: if you become a client, we may collect billing information, a mailing address, and records related to books, valuations, and estates handled on your behalf.
• Correspondence: copies of emails, letters, and notes taken during phone calls, kept for the duration of a live engagement plus seven years for accounting purposes.

1.2 Information collected automatically

• Log data: our web host records standard server logs, including IP address, browser type, referring page, and timestamps. Logs are retained for 30 days and used only for security and diagnostics.
• Cookies: a small number of first-party cookies (see the Cookie Policy) remember your cookie choice and, if you consent, provide aggregate visitor statistics.

2. How we use information

• To respond to your enquiries and deliver requested services.
• To prepare written appraisals, provenance reports, and other client deliverables.
• To send occasional service-related communications (e.g. an appointment reminder).
• To meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations.
• To maintain the security and integrity of the Site.

We do not sell or rent personal information. We do not send marketing emails without a prior request from you.

3. Legal bases (for visitors in the EU/UK)

Where applicable, we rely on: (a) your consent, (b) the performance of a contract with you, (c) our legitimate interest in operating a small professional practice, and (d) compliance with legal obligations.

4. Sharing with third parties

• Payment processing: invoices are processed through Stripe, Inc. We receive confirmation of payment but do not store full card details.
• Professional advisers: accountants and, where appropriate, insurers or independent appraisers under confidentiality.
• Legal obligations: where required by court order, subpoena, or applicable law.

We do not share client information with book auction houses or other dealers without your explicit written instruction.

5. Data retention

Contact-form enquiries that do not become engagements are deleted after 24 months. Engagement records are retained for seven years after the engagement closes, in line with accounting and tax requirements in California.

6. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to (a) access the personal information we hold about you, (b) request correction or deletion, (c) object to certain processing, (d) request a copy in a portable format, and (e) withdraw consent at any time. California residents have additional rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the right to know what categories of information we collect and the right to request deletion. To exercise any of these rights, write to hostmaster@bjjahanianbook.com. We respond within 30 days.

7. Security

The Site is served over HTTPS. Client files are stored in an encrypted cloud drive with access limited to William Monroe. Paper records are kept in a locked cabinet at the studio. No method of transmission is perfectly secure — please avoid sending sensitive information (e.g. tax IDs) by unencrypted email.

8. Children

Our services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version is always posted here with the last-updated date at the top. Material changes will be flagged on the home page for at least 30 days.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy or your personal information can be sent to:
Monroe & Ashcraft Rare Books · Attn: William Monroe
3488 Ashcraft Court, San Diego, CA 92103
Email: hostmaster@bjjahanianbook.com · Phone: 619-428-9034