Warren-Newport Public Library District Lake County, Illinois Board of Trustees Policy 4045 Social Media Adopted: August 21, 2012 Reviewed/Revised: April 21, 2015; May 15, 2018; January 19, 2021; January 16, 2024 ARTICLE 1. PURPOSE The Warren-Newport Public Library District (WNPLD) believes that social networking media are resources that support its mission. Social media accounts, the goodwill they represent, and the patrons who follow them are valuable marketing assets to WNPLD. Recognizing that the nature of such media and the internet in general is fluid and changes quickly, this policy reflects the standards and features of social networking media as they exist at its most current review. ARTICLE 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCES Social media presences that support WNPLD’s mission may be established after such presence is discussed with the appropriate employees and approved by the Executive Director. While individual designated employees may begin the process of establishing a specific social media presence on behalf of the Library, it is understood that WNPLD, and not an individual employee, retains ownership and control of WNPLD branded presences. ARTICLE 3. LIBRARY INITIATED POSTINGS WNPLD allows designated employees to post directly on its public sites. Content originating from these designated employees is not moderated. However, these designated employees represent the singular voice of WNPLD. No unauthorized individual employed by or in any way affiliated with WNPLD should post on the main WNPLD website or other web presences (e.g., Facebook). These forums should be used only for organizational messages posted through those who have posting privileges. ARTICLE 4. PATRON ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC COMMENTS WNPLD hopes to engage its patrons to use social media to participate in discussions of books, programs, and other events. Comments and messages from patrons about these topics are welcome. While WNPLD encourages dialogue, it respectfully requests that commenters be mindful that its social media sites are open to the public and that commenters be courteous and civil toward one another.  When patron input is published in real time on social media sites, WNPLD reserves the right to allow designated employees to comment for the purpose of clarifying or adding context to the online conversation. WNPLD 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. ARTICLE 5. MODERATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA WNPLD reserves the right to moderate the Library’s social media sites and shall do so in keeping with this Policy as well as with WNPLD Board Policies 3060 Standards of Public Conduct and 3065 Technology Use by the Public. WNPLD reserves the right to remove any public comment from its website or social media sites. ARTICLE 6. PRIVACY Users should have no expectation of privacy in postings on WNPLD sponsored social media sites; by using such sites, users consent to WNPLD’s right to access, monitor, and read any postings on those sites. Users must understand that social media is permanent, retrievable, and public. Messages can potentially be read by anyone once posted, regardless of a user’s personal settings in a particular social media account. Content posted on WNPLD social media sites is subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Local Records Act and may be subject to e-discovery laws. WNPLD reserves the right to reproduce comments, posts and messages in other public venues; such reproduction may be edited for space or content while retaining the original intent of the post. _________________________________________