1. Agreement to Terms
By accessing and using The Story Shelf ("Website"), you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue use of this Website immediately.
We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Continued use of the Website following any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.
2. Use License
Permission is granted to temporarily access and view the materials on The Story Shelf for personal, non-commercial use only. This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions.
You May:
- Read and enjoy stories posted on the Website
- Share links to content on the Website
- Comment on stories where such functionality is provided
- Create an account to access additional features
You May Not:
- Reproduce, duplicate, or copy material without explicit permission
- Modify or use materials for commercial purposes
- Remove copyright or proprietary notices
- Transfer materials to another person or entity
- Use automated systems to access or scrape content
3. User Accounts
When creating an account, you agree to:
- Provide accurate, current, and complete information
- Maintain the security of your password and account
- Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
- Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or engage in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
All content on The Story Shelf, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, stories, and software, is the property of The Story Shelf or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws.
User-Generated Content
By submitting content to the Website, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, and display such content in connection with operating the Website. You retain ownership of your content.
You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to submit your content and that such content does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of any third party.
5. Prohibited Uses
You agree not to use the Website for any of the following purposes:
- Violating any local, state, national, or international law
- Infringing on intellectual property rights
- Transmitting harmful code, viruses, or malicious software
- Harassing, threatening, or defaming other users
- Posting obscene, offensive, or inappropriate content
- Impersonating any person or entity
- Collecting personal information from other users
- Engaging in commercial activities without authorization
- Attempting to gain unauthorized access to systems
- Interfering with the proper functioning of the Website
6. Content Standards
All user-submitted content must comply with the following standards:
- Must not contain illegal material or promote illegal activities
- Must not be defamatory, libelous, or fraudulent
- Must not violate any third-party rights
- Must not contain material that could harm minors
- Must be appropriate for a general audience
We reserve the right to remove any content that violates these standards without notice.
7. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability
Website Provided "As Is"
The Story Shelf is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
No Warranty
We do not warrant that:
- The Website will function uninterrupted or error-free
- Defects will be corrected
- The Website is free from viruses or harmful components
- Results from use will be accurate or reliable
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Story Shelf shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:
- Your use or inability to use the Website
- Any unauthorized access to or use of our servers
- Any interruption or cessation of transmission to or from the Website
- Any bugs, viruses, or similar transmitted by third parties
- Any errors or omissions in content
- Any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of your use of the Website
Our total liability to you for all claims arising from use of the Website shall not exceed the amount you paid to access the Website, if any, or $100, whichever is greater.
8. Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless The Story Shelf, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:
- Your violation of these Terms and Conditions
- Your use of the Website
- Your violation of any rights of another party
- Your content or submissions to the Website
9. Termination
We may terminate or suspend your account and access to the Website immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including but not limited to breach of these Terms and Conditions.
Upon termination, your right to use the Website will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.
You may terminate your account at any time by discontinuing use of the Website and contacting us to request account deletion.
10. Third-Party Links
The Website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by The Story Shelf. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services.
You acknowledge and agree that The Story Shelf shall not be responsible or liable for any damage or loss caused by use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available through third-party websites.
11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State in which The Story Shelf operates, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the federal or state courts located in the United States. You waive any objection to venue in such courts.
12. Dispute Resolution
Informal Resolution
Before filing a claim, you agree to contact us and attempt to resolve the dispute informally by sending a written notice describing the dispute and your proposed resolution to our contact address.
Arbitration Agreement
If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, you agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Website shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language and shall take place in the United States. Each party shall bear its own costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees.
Class Action Waiver
You agree that any proceedings to resolve disputes will be conducted on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action.
Exceptions
Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual property rights.
13. Privacy and Data Protection
Your use of the Website is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand our practices regarding the collection and use of your personal information.
14. Copyright Infringement Claims
We respect the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that material on the Website infringes your copyright, please provide us with written notice containing:
- Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
- Identification of the material claimed to be infringing
- Your contact information
- A statement of good faith belief that use is not authorized
- A statement that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act
- Your physical or electronic signature
15. Severability
If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable.
16. Entire Agreement
These Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Story Shelf regarding use of the Website and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, whether written or oral.
17. Waiver
No waiver by The Story Shelf of any term or condition shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term. Any failure to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
Acknowledgment
By using The Story Shelf, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.