Social Media Policy

Approved by the Centre County Library & Historical Museum Board of Trustees: 5/26/2022

Amended by the Centre County Library & Historical Museum Board of Trustees: 5/22/2025

Purpose

Centre County Library & Historical Museum (the Library) recognizes the importance of establishing an online presence through use of social media for educational, cultural, civic, and recreational purposes.  Library social media provides a platform to facilitate the sharing of ideas, opinions, and information about library-related subjects and issues.  It is intended to create a welcoming and inviting online community where library users will find useful and entertaining information and can interact with library staff and other library users.  Comments are moderated by designated library staff and the Library reserves the right to remove comments that are unlawful, or off topic. Social media also provides cost-effective marketing and outreach. The Library recognizes that technological advancements are continuous and that new tools will emerge which have useful applications in the Library setting, therefore, this policy addresses social media in general and NOT specific programs or platforms.

Definitions

Social Media is defined as a web application, site, or account offered by the Library that facilitates the sharing of opinions and information about library related topics and issues.

Social Media includes such formats as blogs, listservs, podcasts, websites, social network pages, or posts to community reviews as well as specific forms of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Library social media is not an open public form and is monitored and managed by Library staff. 

Posting shall be defined as any writing, image, video download, audio file, and hyperlinks to other websites, or media which is downloaded, referenced, inserted, or placed upon any Library social media site.

The Library has no affiliation with any advertisements or other material posted by third party sites.

Policy

Social media tools will be selected to enhance or provide cost-effective ways to deliver:

• Community outreach, marketing, and publicity

• Education of the community in the use of Library resources

• Readers’ advisory services, book discussions groups, and reading incentive programs

• Cultural and educational programming

• Information and reference services of general interest to the community

• Notice of volunteer or employment opportunities available at the Library

• Expanded reach of local, state, and federal government by sharing important information

• Other library-related uses that may be explored or expanded upon as deemed reasonable by Library administration

Public Terms of Use

By choosing to comment on the Library’s social media sites, accounts, or web applications, public users agree to these terms:

• Comments are moderated by Library staff and the Library reserves the right to not post or to remove comments that are unlawful or off topic as determined in its sole discretion, including but not limited to:

  • Copyright violations

  • Plagiarized material

  • Commercial material/spam

  • Duplicate posts from the same individual

  • Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, or disability

  • Content intended to defame any person, group, or organization

  • Personal comments about individuals, including attacks, insults, or threatening language

  • Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity

  • Profanity

• Postings, which the Library in its sole discretion deems unpermitted under this policy, may be removed in whole or in part by the Library immediately upon discovery by the Library without prior notice.

• The Library reserves the right to terminate accounts, ban, or block users who have posted in violation of this policy on more than one occasion.

• Commenters are urged to protect their privacy and should not post personally identifiable information. The Library cannot guarantee an expectation of privacy in third party postings on its social media sites. By posting a comment, individuals agree to indemnify the Library, its officers, and staff from and against all liabilities, judgements, damages, and costs which arise out of or are related to the content posted by the general public.

• The Library is not responsible or liable for the content of postings by third parties on any Library sponsored social media site. Third party postings do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Library, its employees, or its Board of Trustees.

• The Library is not obligated to take any action in relation to third party complaints about posts published under the Centre County Library & Historical Museum name that adhere to the “staff terms of use” listed below. Third parties concerned about promotion of library materials may reference our Collection Development Policy and Request for Reconsideration form.

Staff Terms of Use

When representing Centre County Library & Historical Museum, Library staff shall:

• Conduct themselves at all times as representatives of the Library, and, accordingly, adhere to all associated standards of conduct as outlined below.

• Identify her/him/themselves as a member of the Library staff, unless posting as the Library itself.

• Staff are NOT prohibited from posting on the Library’s social media sites during their personal time outside of work. The Library recognizes that public employees do not surrender 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, 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.

• Maintain the Library’s Privacy Policy by ensuring that library users’ confidential information is not posted by the Library or library staff members.

• Refrain from conducting private business or political activity.

• Observe and abide by all copyright, trademark, and service mark restrictions in posting materials and images.

• Communicate with library users, colleagues, vendors, and presenters primarily through official Library email accounts.

• The Library can re-post or “share” social media posts from our Library partners, such as Centre County United Way, other libraries and library organizations, and governmental agencies that are relevant and of interest to Centre County Library & Historical Museum library customers. Determination to share third-party posts will be made by the Communications Managers and/or the Executive Director and will adhere to common standards of professional communication.

Procedures

• Initiating an account or presence by the Library on social media sites or online communities shall be approved in advance by the Executive Director.

• Where possible, each social media page should clearly indicate that it is maintained by the Library and have CCLHM contact information prominently displayed.

• Where possible, social media pages should link to the Library’s website.

• If user discussion and contribution is invited on library-created and maintained social media sites, it shall be subject to the Public Terms of Use; this shall be clearly indicated on the social media page that invites participation.

• The Executive Director has sole discretion to delegate content management, maintenance. and monitoring of the Library’s social media pages to selected staff.

Standards of Conduct

• Library staff will provide the same level of excellence in customer service via social media as they do for in-person, telephone, and email interactions..

• All institutional social media use shall be conducted in a professional manner that protects the reputation of the Library, its staff, volunteers, and Board of Trustees.

• Staff private social media accounts may not be used to post, transmit or otherwise disseminate any library user information that is protected by statutory confidentiality law.

• Library Staff will check facts, cite sources, avoid copyright infringement, present balanced views, acknowledge and correct errors, include alternative text for images when possible and check grammar and spelling before posting.

• CCLHM reserves the right to advocate for library issues via social media. CCLHM will not campaign for or endorse specific political candidates or parties.