6.20 - Social Media Policy

Terms
By commenting or posting on the social media accounts belonging to Royal Oak Public Library (the “library”), guests agree to the following terms:

  • Not to post or link to offensive, obscene, pornographic, threatening, illegal, or discriminatory content.
  • Not to post spam, viruses, malware, or any other destructive program, script, or code.
  • To post only their own content and not post any content found to be in violation of copyright law.
  • Not to post any unlawful, discriminatory, defamatory, or misleading items.

Rights
The Library retains the right to the following:

  • Delete comments that, at the library’s sole discretion, it deems to be offensive or inappropriate, or that violate the library’s or the applicable social media site’s terms of usage.
  • Reproduce comments for library marketing. Authorship will always be credited if it is known.
  • Block, remove, or otherwise prohibit any user for behavior the Library Director or his or her designee deems inappropriate.

Liability
The library shall not be held liable for any damages resulting from a user’s use of the library’s social media accounts.  All users of the library’s social media accounts agree to release and hold the library harmless from any and all causes of action relating to a user’s use of the library’s social media accounts.

Non-Endorsements
Public comments that are posted on library social media are the views of the poster and do not reflect the views of the library or the library’s Board of Trustees.

Penalties
Guests violating this policy will be asked to comply by library staff. In response to serious or repeated violations of this policy, library staff is authorized to take appropriate measures against the guests, according to the provisions laid out in the Library’s Code of Conduct. The applicable social media site may also take action against guests, according to the site’s terms of usage.

Policy for Library Employees and Volunteers (“Library Personnel”): 

Use of Library Accounts

  • Only library personnel designated by the library administration are entitled to post to library social media accounts. Library personnel who use the library’s social media accounts are bound to observe the following guidelines:
  • Library personnel who use the library’s social media accounts must follow the library’s Code of Conduct and all other applicable policies.
  • Library personnel cannot use the library’s social media account to advocate for or against any issue, position, or cause, especially but not limited to those of a political or religious nature.
  • Library personnel without access to the library’s social media accounts, but who are interested in adding content to them, are encouraged to submit their suggestions to the Library Director or his or her designee.

Use of Personal Social Media Accounts
When using a personal social media account, library personnel are bound by the following guidelines:

  • Library personnel cannot speak on behalf of, or represent the library in any way.
  • Library personnel cannot disclose patron information that would violate Michigan’s Library Privacy Act, as amended, MCL 397.601, et seq. or any other law.
  • Library personnel cannot use the library’s logo or other trademarked or copyrighted material.
  • Library personnel cannot take pictures of patrons while working without consent of said patrons. This does not include photographing/videotaping library events in your capacity as an employee.

Penalties
Library personnel found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from employment, and if applicable, may be subject to prosecution under federal or state laws.

Modification of Terms
The library retains the right to amend these terms at any time. Amended terms will be posted on the library’s website when these changes occur.

Adopted: 07/28/15; reaffirmed 10/25/22.