Privacy Policy

Last updated September 12, 2026

Book Demand Index (bookdemandindex.com) is a reporting tool created and operated by Josh Holtzclaw. It compiles daily rankings of book titles from publicly available sources and shows them to authorized users who hold the shared password. This policy explains what information the site and the software behind it collect, how that information is used, how long it is kept, and the choices you have.

Information we collect from visitors

The site has no user accounts and does not ask for your name, email address, or any other personal details. It handles only the following:

Team password. The password you enter is compared with a configured value and is not stored or logged.
Sign-in cookie. After a successful sign-in the site sets one cookie, named bdi_auth, so you stay signed in for up to 30 days. It contains an expiry time and a cryptographic signature and nothing about you. Signing out removes it.
Server logs. Our hosting provider, Vercel, records standard request information such as IP address, browser type, requested page, and time, for operations and security. These logs are kept for a limited period under the provider's retention policy.

The site uses no analytics, advertising, or tracking technologies, sets no cookies other than the sign-in cookie, and runs no third-party scripts in your browser.

How visitor information is used

The information above is used only to let team members sign in, keep them signed in, and operate and secure the site. It is not used for marketing, profiling, or advertising, and it is never sold.

Report data

The rankings, downloads, and statistics on the site describe books, not people. They are compiled from public bestseller lists, book club selections, and reading and retailer charts, matched to editions and ISBNs using public bibliographic databases, and paired with aggregate public-interest figures such as Wikipedia page views and Google search volume. None of this data identifies any individual.

Google user data and the Google Ads API

The site itself never asks for access to your Google account. Separately, the software that builds the index connects to Google through the Google Ads API, using an authorization granted by the operator, on the operator's own Google Ads account. This section describes exactly how that Google user data is accessed, used, stored, and shared.

What is accessed. Keyword Planner historical metrics only: the average number of monthly Google searches for a book's title and author. The software reads nothing else from the account. It does not read campaigns, ads, audiences, billing, or account settings, and it does not create, change, or delete anything.
How it is used. The search-volume figures are stored beside each title in the index and shown in the report as an aggregate demand signal. They are not used to build advertising audiences, to serve ads, or for any purpose unrelated to the report.
How it is stored. The Google authorization token is kept only in a permission-restricted configuration file on the machine that runs the index. It is not stored on the website, in the hosting provider, or in any shared system. Retrieved metrics are stored in the index database and in the published report.
Sharing. Data obtained from Google APIs is not sold, transferred to third parties, or used by any AI or machine-learning model. Aggregate search-volume figures appear in the report available to authorized users.
Revoking access. The operator can revoke the authorization at any time from the Google Account permissions page, after which the software can no longer retrieve new metrics.

Our use of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Sharing and disclosure

We do not sell any information. Information described in this policy is shared only with our hosting provider, Vercel, which processes it on our behalf to serve the site, or where disclosure is required by law.

Data retention

The sign-in cookie expires after 30 days, or immediately when you sign out.
Hosting request logs are retained for a limited period set by the hosting provider.
Report data about books, including search-volume figures, is retained as a historical record so the index can show how demand changes over time. Search-volume figures are refreshed about once a month.

Security

The site is served over HTTPS only. The sign-in cookie is signed, marked HTTP-only and secure, and cannot be read by scripts. Passwords and secrets are held in environment configuration rather than in code. Access to the report is limited to authorized users who hold the shared password.

Children

The site is a business tool for authorized users. It is not directed at children and knowingly collects no information from anyone under 13.

Your choices

You can sign out at any time to remove the sign-in cookie, or clear cookies for this site in your browser. If you have a question about information the site handles, contact us using the address below.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted here with a new date at the top.

Contact

Questions about this policy can be sent to holtzclawj@booksamillion.com.