SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Adopted by Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees on May 21, 2010; revised March 19, 2024, June 17, 2025.

The purpose of this policy is to define the individual responsibilities for the acquisition and use of the Library’s social media.

DEFINITIONS

“Social media” is defined as electronic, web-based technologies that allow instant, widespread and interactive communication. Social media includes blogs and new shared information sites such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and other rapidly emerging platforms. Such sites allow the Library to distribute information through an additional public Internet presence. They are hosted outside of the Library’s network.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Social media is an integral component of public communications efforts. Managing, interacting, and posting on social media accounts enhances the Library’s outreach and provides an additional avenue to share public information to constituents. The Library Marketing and Communications Director must approve the creation of all social media accounts and will develop procedures consistent with this policy. Staff members designated to write, post, and respond to items on social media sites act as public spokespersons for Spokane Public Library and the City of Spokane. The Library expects those staff members to adhere to best practices and to use common sense when using online outreach and community building. They must remember that professional and personal lines can easily blur online and are representing their employer and will be held accountable for the content they create. Comments expressed on any Library social media platform by public citizens do not reflect the views or position of the Library, its officers, trustees or its employees. Social media content must be archived for public records request.

EMPLOYEE USAGE

Employees are expressly forbidden to misuse any social media access privileges in any way that may include, but are not limited to:

• Using social media accounts for unlawful activities, including violations of copyright law, or for activities that are malicious or have the effect of harassing others.
• Violating the acceptable use policies of any network to which they connect to the account.
• Misrepresenting the Library’s programs or policies in their communications.
• Using social media to circumvent record retention requirements as set by state law.

MONITORING COMMENTS

The Library reserves the right, but is not obligated, to review, screen, edit and delete comments, or remove timeline posts in accordance with the guidelines below. Public comment (including links to third party websites) on Spokane Public Library social media posts is moderated by designated Library staff and may be deleted, hidden, and/or reported to appropriate authorities if content violates terms of use including:

• Racist, discriminatory, hateful, sexist, homophobic, slanderous, insulting, or profane messages or images
• Messages that contain name calling, harassment, and/or personal attacks
• Intentional trolling, troll baiting, or flaming
• Aggressive, coarse, violent, obscene, or pornographic comments
• Unintelligible or irrelevant messages
• Serious, unproven, or inaccurate accusations against individuals or organizations
• Content is off-topic or unrelated to specific post
• Promotes violence or the threat of violence to themselves or others or illegal activities.
• Contains commercial messages, including advertisements, endorsements solicitations, and/or spam
• Contains multiple successive or repetitive posts by a single user or repetitive posts copied and pasted by one or more users, or spam
• Contains links to malicious or harmful software.

Further, commenting may be turned off when they exceed 200 comments and/or when there are excessive comments in violation of our terms of use. Alternate methods of engaging will be offered such as email or mail.

Repeated violations of these terms of use may result in an individual being blocked from interactions with the Library on social media sites.

The Library reserves the right at any time to discontinue comments and engagement with content posted on its social media platforms.

Any content posted to the site may be subject to public disclosure under Washington State Public Records Act, ch. 42.56 RCW.