Social Media

Adopted by the Elm Grove Public Library Board: November 16, 2015

The Elm Grove Public Library (“EGPL”) can seek to fulfill its mission of “stimulating interest and life-long appreciation for reading and learning among children and adults,” through social networking, through the use of the varied social media (e.g. blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) available currently and in the future—to interact with library users and the larger community to promote materials, events, services, reading, and library collections. These guidelines are intended to help guide all decisions about what may be posted by Elm Grove Public Library staff (“STAFF”) and what will be considered acceptable comments, posts, messages, videos, etc. posted by Non-STAFF users (“USERS”).

The following shall apply to social networking through the use of “social media” which is generally considered to be any form of electronic communication that allows user-generated interaction between the media’s creator and a user.

1. STAFF shall respect copyright, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights. It is each STAFF member’s responsibility to understand intellectual property rights including copyright and fair use laws in regards to re-publishing protected content. In that respect, sources need to be referenced. It is common practice to cite a source by linking to it within a post, and STAFF should routinely do this.

2. At all times and under all circumstances when working on behalf of the EGPL, STAFF shall be professional and respectful of the online audience. This includes but is not limited to avoiding all personal attacks, obscenities or other objectionable language and/or content, and general, distasteful behavior. STAFF shall never share confidential information regarding the library, its patrons, vendors, or other STAFF members and shall remember that online conduct should be equivalent to acceptable workplace conduct.

3. STAFF shall seek to add value to the online community. STAFF shall seek to provide worthwhile information, facts, and perspectives when utilizing social media. .

4. STAFF shall avoid confrontations and correct their own mistakes with regard to their interactions on social media. STAFF shall make sure that their facts are correct, and if they find otherwise, be quick to admit the error.

5. STAFF shall always obtain permission to use any picture, likeness, image, video or name of a person. Before posting picture, likeness, image or name of any person, all STAFF must have a properly signed EGPL provided release form.

6. STAFF shall promptly report all suspected violations of these guidelines to the Library Director.

7. Each STAFF member is responsible for the content each publishes on all personal blogs, wikis, or other forms of social media.

8. Any new social media account on behalf of EGPL shall be established under the supervision of the Library Director. The establishment of a social media account on behalf of EGPL, without prior authorization from the Library Director, is prohibited.

9. STAFF are not allowed to publish on any of EGPL’s social media accounts opinions or viewpoints about EGPL, its staff, trustees, donors, etc.

These guidelines are intended to supplement but not replace current Village of Elm Grove policies applicable to use of the Internet by STAFF.

Guidelines for NON-STAFF USERS:

Interactions, such as comments, posts, messages, etc., from Non-Staff users (“USER”) are encouraged on the EGPL Facebook page; however before posting, a USER must consider and adhere to the following guidelines. Any post by a USER must be appropriate for all potential viewing. Interactions considered inappropriate by EGPL or STAFF, in its professional opinion, will not be posted or will be immediately removed with the poster potentially being barred from any future interactions on the page. Examples of a post (whether in writing, photograph, or other multimedia form) deemed inappropriate include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Obscene, racist, or hateful material

2. Personal attacks, insults, harassment, threats, retaliation, or disparagement against the EGPL, its patrons, others or STAFF.

3. Potentially libelous statements

4. Plagiarized material or material that appears to violate copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights

5. Commercial advertisements, solicitations, or spam

6. Personal, confidential, or propriety information, including email addresses, phone numbers, etc.

7. Organized political activity

8. Irrelevant content or inappropriate links

9. Promotion of unlawful activity or unethical conduct

Posts by a USER will be monitored, and STAFF will use reasonable efforts to screen all submissions before they are made public. The EGPL reserves the right to NOT publish or delete any posts deemed: (i) inappropriate for any reason; (ii) detrimental to the EGPL or Village of Elm Grove; or (iii) inconsistent with these guidelines, other EGPL policies or its mission, or Village of Elm Grove policies or law. The library reserves the right to remove any “friend” or user from its social media sites. In addition, the EGPL is not responsible for the content on any USER account. EGPL does not and shall not endorse any information, opinions, services, graphics, or advertisements available for viewing on various social media sites.

The EGPL cannot act in place of a parent or guardian and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions which a parent or guardian may place on a minor’s use of social media. The EGPL and its staff assumes no liability regarding any posting, exchange, publication or interaction by a USER on any EGPL sponsored social media.