PURPOSE
The Burbank Public Library has established social media sites to assist in fulfilling our mission of providing access to knowledge and information that will inform, educate, and serve the community. The Library utilizes these sites to increase engagement with current and potential library users, and to be more easily accessible. Social media allows the Library to meet users where they are, and give staff and public a convenient way to interact and share information, ideas, and opinions on a range of topics related to the Library's mission, collections, and services.
Social media posts are meant to:
- Build relationships with new and existing community partners
- Engage the public in an ongoing conversation about the Library and its role in the community
- Maintain and improve excellent customer service through user-centered design principles
- Cultivate the Library’s community of readers by improving collection merchandizing and readers advisory services
- Promote library programming and available services
The Library's social media sites serve as limited public forums. The Library sets rules for use of its online venues and social media sites, just as it does for use of its other resources and communications. This policy governs the use of social media in two areas: 1) public use, and 2) employee use.
PUBLIC USER RESPONSIBILITES AND RESTRICTIONS
Patrons are invited to share opinions about Library-related subjects, resources, and programs. Postings do not indicate Library endorsement of the ideas, issues, or opinions expressed in posts on its social media sites.
Burbank Public Library is responsible only for content that it posts. The Library is not and cannot be held responsible for the content, availability, or accuracy of posts by users or any other entity.
Users of all ages have the responsibility to protect their privacy and should not post personally identifying information. By choosing to comment on the Burbank Public Library social media sites, public users agree to give the Library permission to use the content of any posting or comment they make without any compensation or liability on the part of the Library.
Users may not post comments, tags, and images that impinge on another’s privacy or that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory. Violations include, but are not limited to:
- Off-topic and/or disruptive posts
- Commercial promotions or spam
- Threatening or defamatory language
- Obscene or libelous content
- Posts that violate laws or library policies
Postings which the Library, in its sole discretion, deems unpermitted under this policy, or inappropriate, may be removed in whole or in part by the Library without prior notice. Burbank Public Library has the right to moderate, edit, delete, move or close any comment at any time without warning or explanation.
STAFF RESPONSIBILTIES
When posting material and comments on Burbank Public Library social media accounts, staff:
- will conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity
- will check facts, cite sources, avoid copyright infringement, present balanced views, acknowledge and correct errors, and check grammar and spelling before posting
- will respect all Library patrons online and uphold patron privacy
- may not link material from personal social media accounts to library social media accounts
- comply with all of the City of Burbank policies and procedures
DISCLAIMER
Participation in the Library’s social media services implies agreement with this and all other Burbank Public Library policies.
Library staff will periodically evaluate the role and utility of its online social networking sites, which may be terminated at any time without notice to subscribers.