Policy
The Vermont Library Association offers social software tools for professional and recreational use of the Vermont Library Association (VLA) community. The library’s social software tools provide a limited (or designated) public forum to facilitate the sharing of ideas, opinions, and information about library-related subjects and issues. The library’s social software is intended to create a welcoming and inviting online space where the VLA community will find useful and entertaining information and can interact with each other and users worldwide. Comments will be moderated by VLA staff and the VLA reserves the right to remove comments that are unlawful, off topic, or otherwise do not adhere to the guidelines listed below.
Definition of Social Software for the Vermont Library Association
Social software is defined as any web application, site, or account that facilitates the sharing of opinions and information about VLA-related and subjects and issues. It can include, but is not limited to, such formats as blogs, listservs, websites, social network pages or posts (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, etc.)
Responsibilities and Comment Guidelines
VLA’s social forums are limited public forums. Users are required to stay on topic and abide by the law. It is expected that all content on library sponsored social software will be professionally presented. Writers and content contributors should check facts, cite sources, present balanced views, acknowledge and correct errors, and check spelling and grammar before making a post live. Copyright compliance is required.
Writers are expected to post information which, in their best judgment, will be of value to library workers and users in the VLA community. Postings will be respectful of the VLA, its members, contractors, volunteers, partners, competitors, and critics.
Users are asked to refrain from posting comments of the types listed below. Such comments will be removed by VLA staff. This list is not exhaustive:
- Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
- Libelous and/or defamatory statements
- Private and personal information
- Discriminatory language based on ethnic background, national origin, creed, gender, sexual-orientation, ability, etc.
- Comments unrelated to the content of the forum, and/or hyperlinks to material not directly related to the discussion
- Commercial promotions or spam
- Organized political activity unrelated to the content of the forum
- Obscene posts
- Duplicated posts from the same individual
Adapted from the New England Library Association Social Media Policy September 2013