Social Media Policy

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To set guidelines for creating and maintaining library social media sites and standards and for public comment and feedback on these sites including the terms in which the library can remove said comments.

STATEMENT OF POLICY: This policy governs the Baldwin Borough Public Library’s (BBPL) social media sites.  Social media is defined as any web application, site or account created and maintained by BBPL which facilitates an interactive online environment between library staff and library users.  This includes, but is not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, library-created blogs, and any other online community the library may be a part of in the future.  The goal of these tools is for the library to engage more closely with its patrons and utilize a different communication method to open a dialogue between library staff and patrons to exchange information and share ideas about library programs, events, resources and materials.

Public responsibility:

BBPL recognizes and respects differences in opinion. Public comments, reviews, posts, photographs and messages are encouraged as long as they pertain to the library, its programs, resources and mission.  The library reserves the right to review all content posted on the library’s sites and remove any comments, photographs or posts that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be abusive, defamatory, in violation of copyright, trademark right, or other intellectual property right or otherwise inappropriate for the service. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Personal attacks, insults, profanity and threatening language;
  • Spam and commercial posts;
  • Posts that violate library policy;
  • Posts which discriminates on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, age, sexual orientation, creed or ancestry;
  • Pornography;
  • Copyrighted or plagiarized material;
  • Unrelated comments;
  • Private, personal information published without consent;
  • Posts related to organized political activity

If any user does not agree to these terms, they are not to use the service as violation of the terms can lead to legal liability. The library reserves the right to ban users who violate this policy.

If a patron has a complaint or concern regarding content on a BBPL social media site, or has questions regarding this policy, he/she needs to contact the library director.

BBPL is not liable for content posted by any subscriber in any forum, message board, or other area within the service. By posting content, the user agrees to indemnify BBPL and its officers and employees from and against all liabilities, judgments, damages, and costs (including attorney’s fees) incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related to the posted content.

Staff Responsibility:

BBPL staff must be aware that information they display or comments they make on library social media sites may be viewed by other users as representing official library sponsored information or comments.  Therefore, in utilizing BBPL social media, staff must follow the guidelines set forth below. When representing BBPL via social media, staff should:

  • Conduct themselves at all times as representatives of BBPL.
  • Comment and post relevant information that directly pertains to library programs, events and resources in accordance with the library mission.
  • Not make statements about patrons, or post, transmit, or otherwise disseminate confidential patron information.
  • Not represent postings as official BBPL opinion or policy, unless this has been clearly approved by the library director.
  • Not conduct political activities or personal business
  • Observe and abide by all copyright, trademark, and service mark restrictions in posting materials to electronic media.

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