American Library Association. (2015). Questions and Answers on Ethics and Social Media Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/questions-and-answers-ethics-and-social-media The American Library Association acknowledges the crucial role that social media plays in reaching and engaging with patrons but they are also aware of the ethical dilemmas associated with it. Some of the issues this article touches on are; protecting the patron's privacy and confidentiality, upholding the library's reputation online, who owns the content posted, what is considered offensive as well as copyright. The issues this piece raises are all points that any library writing a social media policy must consider.
Breed, E. (2013). Creating a social media policy: What we did, what we learned. Information today. Retrieved from http://www.infotoday.com/mls/mar13/Breed--Creating-a-Social-Media-Policy.shtml Capital Area District Library in Michigan created their original social media policy in 2009. Acknowledging how far social networking tools and technologies have evolved since then, and recognizing the need to include some clarity and direction for staff in regards to differentiating between personal and professional use of social media, they decided to redefine their goals and policy. After much consultation with staff and others in the industry their overwhelming lesson was realizing social media, although still a relatively recent development, is basically just another tool to enable communication and if it is treated as such the job of managing it and creating suitable policies and guidelines is much easier.
Magee, R., Naughton, R., O'Gan, P., Forte, A., & Agosto, D. (2012). Social media practices and support in U.S. public libraries and school library media centers. Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 49(1), 1-3. Retrieved from https://www.asis.org/asist2012/proceedings/Submissions/334.pdf This paper looks at the results of a survey in the United States on the use of social networking tools in public and school libraries. Although library websites were recognized as valuable interactive tools the overwhelming findings were that social media policies and strategies, particularly in schools, severely limited the uptake of these technologies. Instead of facilitating libraries to take advantage of social networking tools to engage with their users, in particular with teenagers, their strict policies often obstructed them from doing so.
Moreland City Council. (2013). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/mccwr/publications/policies-strategies-plans/social%20media%20policy%20-%20council%20resolved.doc This extensive 9 page social media policy is applicable to anyone who users social media on behalf of the Moreland City Council, and as such encompasses the Moreland Public Libraries, but not the library patrons. It details why they use social media and lists all possible tools and technologies that fall under this term social media. The policy addresses how staff are expected to behave online and provides information on the relevant legislative they must comply by. It also addresses what is not acceptable behaviour and the enforcement of these guidelines.
Ottawa Public Library. (n.d). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/social-media-policy The social media policy of Ottawa Public Library is extremely succinct and direct. It informs the user of their responsibility to observe all relevant government regulations and legislations when using social media and stating that ignorance of these laws is not an acceptable excuse. It lists examples of what type of comments cannot be posted on their sites and the consequences if these policy rules are broken. It appears, although not specified, to be directed to the patrons rather than staff, although I'm sure the same principles would apply to them as well.
/ Social Networking for Information Professionals/ Contents contributed and discussions participated by rohueston
The American Library Association acknowledges the crucial role that social media plays in reaching and engaging with patrons but they are also aware of the ethical dilemmas associated with it. Some of the issues this article touches on are; protecting the patron's privacy and confidentiality, upholding the library's reputation online, who owns the content posted, what is considered offensive as well as copyright. The issues this piece raises are all points that any library writing a social media policy must consider.
Breed, E. (2013). Creating a social media policy: What we did, what we learned. Information today. Retrieved from http://www.infotoday.com/mls/mar13/Breed--Creating-a-Social-Media-Policy.shtml
Capital Area District Library in Michigan created their original social media policy in 2009. Acknowledging how far social networking tools and technologies have evolved since then, and recognizing the need to include some clarity and direction for staff in regards to differentiating between personal and professional use of social media, they decided to redefine their goals and policy. After much consultation with staff and others in the industry their overwhelming lesson was realizing social media, although still a relatively recent development, is basically just another tool to enable communication and if it is treated as such the job of managing it and creating suitable policies and guidelines is much easier.
Magee, R., Naughton, R., O'Gan, P., Forte, A., & Agosto, D. (2012). Social media practices and support in U.S. public libraries and school library media centers. Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 49(1), 1-3. Retrieved from https://www.asis.org/asist2012/proceedings/Submissions/334.pdf
This paper looks at the results of a survey in the United States on the use of social networking tools in public and school libraries. Although library websites were recognized as valuable interactive tools the overwhelming findings were that social media policies and strategies, particularly in schools, severely limited the uptake of these technologies. Instead of facilitating libraries to take advantage of social networking tools to engage with their users, in particular with teenagers, their strict policies often obstructed them from doing so.
Moreland City Council. (2013). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/mccwr/publications/policies-strategies-plans/social%20media%20policy%20-%20council%20resolved.doc
This extensive 9 page social media policy is applicable to anyone who users social media on behalf of the Moreland City Council, and as such encompasses the Moreland Public Libraries, but not the library patrons. It details why they use social media and lists all possible tools and technologies that fall under this term social media. The policy addresses how staff are expected to behave online and provides information on the relevant legislative they must comply by. It also addresses what is not acceptable behaviour and the enforcement of these guidelines.
Ottawa Public Library. (n.d). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/social-media-policy
The social media policy of Ottawa Public Library is extremely succinct and direct. It informs the user of their responsibility to observe all relevant government regulations and legislations when using social media and stating that ignorance of these laws is not an acceptable excuse. It lists examples of what type of comments cannot be posted on their sites and the consequences if these policy rules are broken. It appears, although not specified, to be directed to the patrons rather than staff, although I'm sure the same principles would apply to them as well.