Library Policies
Social Media

The Library maintains accounts on several social media platforms in order to engage the community by sharing information about Library events, programs, services, and classes as well as sharing posts from other sources that communicate the love of reading, libraries, literacy, and life-long learning.

“Social media” is defined as any website, application, service, or platform that allows users to share information in a virtual environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, Tumblr, and TikTok.

This policy establishes standards and responsibilities for the manner in which staff use Library social media accounts and pages, as well as expectations for other social media users interacting with the Library’s account.

Content Creation by Staff

When posting content using Library social media accounts, staff must follow these guidelines:

• Content should add value.
• Content should be up to date.
• Content should be professional and in good taste.
• Content should be written in a tone that is appropriate for the social media platform and respects the platform’s common etiquette (“netiquette”).
• Content should have a positive or neutral tone and should never be rude, inflammatory, argumentative, or otherwise unprofessional.
• Content must follow the platform’s user agreements, policies, terms and conditions.
• Content must abide by copyright and trademark laws.

Patron Usage and Interaction

Engagement with the Library’s social media profiles implies agreement with all Library policies as well as the Terms of Service of the respective social media platform. Patrons who do not agree to these terms should not use these services.

Complaints

Complaints related to the Library’s social media presence should be made to the Library administration. Complaints will be reviewed, prioritized, and addressed based on the Library Director’s findings and/or discretion.

Patron Comments

Comments, posts, and messages from other social media users are welcome on the Library’s social media pages and profiles; however, they are subject to review by Library staff. The Library reserves the right to remove any comment, post, or message deemed inappropriate or irrelevant to its social media presence. The following content is unacceptable:

• Violent content
• Plagiarized content
• Solicitation of funds
• Explicit sexual content
• Hate speech or discrimination
• Content posted by falsified profiles
• Content that infringes upon copyright
• Advertising or other commercial content
• Defamatory or potentially libelous content
• Malware, viruses, or other malicious content
• Intentionally or unintentionally misleading information
• Content that violates the platform rules, guidelines, or terms of service
• Harassment, bullying, personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
• Intentionally provocative or offensive content (“trolling” or “flame bait”)
• Content unrelated to the Library, libraries, literacy, reading, or life-long learning
• Content that includes private or personal information belonging to oneself or others,
  as well as content that solicits private or personal information from others

This includes text, images, audio, video, and any other type of content, as well as links to other content that matches the above criteria.

The Library reserves the right to restrict access for (“block”) individuals who repeatedly engage in inappropriate behavior when interacting with Library social media accounts.

Although Library staff monitors public comments posted by other users on the Library’s social media pages and profiles, the Library is not responsible or liable for this content, nor does it endorse content other than what is posted directly by Library social media accounts.

Responsibility

The Library Director, Adult Services Librarian, Digital Services Librarian, and Head of Children’s and Teen Services will be the primary social media posters. Others may be assigned with the Director’s approval.

The Library Director must approve the creation of any new social media accounts as well as the deletion of any accounts that no longer serve the Library’s purpose.

Staff Personal Accounts

The Social Media Policy does not apply to Library staff’s personal social media accounts except when those accounts are used on behalf of the Library, or when those accounts are presented in such a way as to suggest they represent the Library.

An account may be considered to be representing the Library when posting official or unofficial communication about the Library, interacting with patrons regarding Library services, or if it prominently emphasizes association with the Library.

Employment by the Library, by itself, does not imply that a staff member’s personal social media accounts represent the Library. Library staff are free to express themselves within the bounds of applicable laws and regulations.