Summary
The Maitland Public Library participates and uses social media in different forms. The MPL staff will maintain and edit the content of MPL hosted sites to comply with all Library Policies.
Definition of Social Media
Social media is defined as any web application, site, or account created and maintained by the Maitland Public Library that supports the Maitland Public Library social media purpose statement. These include, but are not limited to, the Library blog, and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Social Media Purpose Statement
In keeping with the Maitland Public Library’s spirit, to be “At the heart of the community since 1896”, the overarching purpose of social media employed by the Library is to deepen our connections with Maitland Library users and the wider Maitland community. The Library considers information and interactions generated on social media channels to be equal to other information resources at the library, and is meant to encourage conversations with staff and other library users.
Primarily, the purpose of social media at MPL is to disseminate information about, and promote the Library’s services and resources. This may include, and is not limited to, promotion on programs and events, readers’ advisory initiatives, general library news, projects, volunteer opportunities, and ongoing activities to all members of the Maitland community. Social media is also used to provide a forum for Library staff and Library users to share opinions and information about Library-related topics and issues. Social media is also used, with careful discretion, to occasionally share news from Maitland organizations which library staff feel meet the needs and interests of its social network audience, in order to contribute toward the building of partnerships with local organizations.
Usage Rules
The Maitland Public Library welcomes the comments, posts, and messages of the community, and recognizes and respects differences in opinion. However, all comments, posts, and messages are subject to review, and the Maitland Public Library reserves the right to, but is not required to, remove any comment, post, or message that it deems inappropriate.
Content containing any of the following will be removed immediately from any Maitland Public Library social media forum:
- Obscene comments or hate speech
- Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
- Private or personal information, including phone numbers and addresses, or requests for personal information
- Potentially libelous statements
- Falsification of identity
- Copyrighted, trademarked, or plagiarized material
- Posts in violation of laws or library policies
- Comments, links, or information unrelated to the purpose of the forum
- Duplicated posts by an individual user
- Spam, or other commercial, political, or proselytizing messages.
Any content that remains are the sole opinions of their owners and do not reflect the official views or policies of Maitland Public Library. The Library is not responsible for, or liable for, any content posted by any participant in a Library social media forum who is not a member of the Library’s staff.
