Library Policies
Social Media

Purpose

The purpose of the social media employed by the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library is to engage the Berlin community and beyond with the library by sharing information about library events, programs, services, and classes as well as by sharing posts from other sources that communicate the love of reading, libraries, literacy and life-long learning.

Definition of Social Media

Social Media is defined as any website or application that allows people to share information in a virtual environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat and Instagram.

Responsibility

The Library Director, Adult Services Librarian, Digital Services Librarian and Head of Children’s and Teen Services will be the primary Library 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.

Content Creation by Staff

When adding content to social media resources, employees must be aware of these guidelines:

• Content should add value.
• Content should be up to date.
• All content should be professional.
• Loud, rude, or inappropriate comments or postings are never acceptable, and will be removed based on the discretion of the Library Director or their designee.
• Abide by copyright and trademark laws.
• Follow the sites’ user agreements.
• If responding to a post or comment, responses should be positive and neutral.

Usage Rules

User comments, posts and messages are welcome on BPML social media accounts and services. However, all comments, posts, and messages are subject to review. The Berlin-Peck Memorial Library reserves the right to remove any comment, post, or message it deems inappropriate. The Berlin-Peck Memorial Library is not responsible for or liable for any content posted by any participant in a Library social media forum who is not a member of the Library’s staff; nor does it endorse or review content outside the “pages” created by the Library.

Once found, content containing any of the following will be removed, at the discretion of Library administration, from any Berlin-Peck Memorial Library social media forum:

• Obscene content or hate speech
• Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
• Private or personal information, including phone numbers and addresses, or requests for personal information
• Potentially libelous statements
• Falsification of identity
• Plagiarized material
• Comments, links, or information unrelated to the purpose of the forum
• Spam or other commercial, political, or religious messages unrelated to the Library or its social media postings
• Solicitation of funds
• Any images, links, or other content that falls into the above categories

In addition, users are expected to abide by the terms and conditions set by third party social media platforms as well as follow appropriate federal and state laws.

Participation in the Library’s social media services implies agreement with all Library policies and the Terms of Service of each individual third-party service. If a user does not agree to these terms, they are not to use the services provided.

The Library asks that individual user complaints be made to the Library Administration. Complaints will be reviewed, prioritized and addressed based on the Library Director’s findings and/or discretion.