Social Media and Patron Content Policy
Revision Control
- Adopted by the LPLD Board September 25, 2017
- Revised by the LPLD Board February 25, 2019
Primary Goals
The Lincolnwood Public Library District uses social media to increase awareness of and accessibility to its programs, resources and services in order to serve the cultural, educational, informational and recreational needs of our community. Social media is defined as any website or application which allows users to share information. Social media includes, but is not limited to: blogs, instant messaging tools, social networking sites and wikis. Posts are welcome on the Library’s social media sites. The Library does not endorse the opinions expressed in posts on its social media sites. Posts include, but are not limited to, observations, comments, and messages.
Purpose and Use
Appropriate content for postings to the Lincolnwood Public Library District social media sites includes, but is not limited to:
- Information on library programs and events
- Current library policies, practices, and new developments in these
- News about the library’s collections and acquisitions
- Publicity and press releases
- News on regional library systems and their services and activities
- Library legislative initiatives
- Professional library association news
Inappropriate content for postings includes:
- Personal information of any type, including but not limited to names, addresses, telephone numbers, etc.
- Obscene or racist comments or information
- Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of marital status, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity, creed, ancestry, or any other protected category
- Child pornography
- Threatening, derogatory, insulting, defamatory or abusive language of any type
- Commercial or for-profit postings
- Political Campaigning
- Charitable solicitations
- Spam
- Religious speech
- Copyrighted, trademarked or other protected content
- Disputes concerning library fines and fees, patron accounts, library staff, policies, or procedures
- Any postings that are contrary to or unrelated to the purpose of the site
Employee Use of Social Media
Library employees may post on the library’s social media sites from personal accounts during their time outside of work. The library recognizes that public employees do not surrender all their First Amendment rights by reason of their employment and that the First Amendment protects a public employee’s right, in certain circumstances, to speak as a citizen addressing matters of public concern. However, when a public employee makes statements pursuant to his or her official duties, the employee is not speaking as a citizen for First Amendment purposes, and the Constitution does not insulate his or her communications from potential discipline by the library. Employees 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.
In their personal use of social media, library employees may not
- Use the library’s name, logo, slogan/tagline, photos, artwork or other content;
- Imply that personal postings are endorsed by or represent the views or opinions of the library;
- Reveal library Trustee, employee, or patron addresses or telephone, e-mail, or other personal information;
- Include any comments or information harmful to the library district;
- Reveal the library’s confidential and proprietary information or post information that is still in draft form or is confidential;
- Make comments about patrons, in general, about specific questions from patrons, or about patron behavior.
Consent
Participation in Lincolnwood Public Library District social media services implies agreement with this and all other library policies.
Active Status of Library Social Media Sites
The library district reserves the right to discontinue its social media sites at any time without notice to participants or subscribers.
Parental Responsibility
The library does not act in the role of parent and bears no responsibility or liability with regard to use of library-related social media by minors. It is the responsibility of parents to monitor their children’s use of social media.
Disclaimer
The following disclaimer applies to and will appear on all library social media sites when possible: “Statements on this site do not reflect the views or opinions of the Lincolnwood Public Library District, its board, administration, or staff. The library district accepts no liability and bears no responsibility for the content or use of this site.”
Patron Created Content
The Library encourages patrons to share original content created in any Library sponsored program, the Digital Media Lab, or by using equipment loaned from the Library. These include, but are not limited to, photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, or digital art. Any instance in which a patron shares their work with the library via social media, email, or other electronic transfer, making it accessible to the public, is considered “patron created content” and is subject to this policy.
By sharing patron created content, patrons grant the Library an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual right and license to use, copy, modify, display, archive, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works based upon that content. Patrons will be credited if their work is used in any Library related publicity including but not limited to, Library social media channels or the Library newsletter.
The Library reserves the right not to post content or to remove patron created content for any reason, including but not limited to:
- content that is profane, obscene, or pornographic;
- content that is abusive, discriminatory or hateful on account of race, national origin, religion, age, gender, disability, or sexual orientation;
- content that contains threats, personal attacks, or harassment;
- content that contains solicitations or advertisements;
- content that is invasive of another person’s privacy;
- content that is in violation of any other Library policy
