Social Software Policy

Allegany County Library System offers blogs, community reviews, patron comments and other social software tools for educational, cultural, civic and recreational purposes. Library 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. Library social software is intended to create a welcoming and inviting online space where library users will find useful and entertaining information and can interact with library staff and other library users. Comments are moderated by library staff and the library reserves the right to remove comments that are unlawful or off topic.

Definition of Social software

Social software is defined as any web application, site or account offered by the library that facilitates the sharing of opinions and information about library related subjects and issues.
Social software includes such formats as blogs, listservs, websites, social network pages or posts to community reviews and patron ratings of library materials.

Rules for commenting

Protect your privacy. Do not post personally identifying information. Young people under age 18, especially, should not post information such as last name, school, age, phone number, address.

Posts containing the following are against library rules and will be deleted before posting or removed by library staff:

1. Copyright violations
2. Off topic comments
3. Commercial material/spam
4. Duplicated posts from the same individual
5. Obscene posts
6. Specific and imminent threats
7. Libelous comments
8. Images

By choosing to comment you agree to these rules.

Allegany County Board of Library Trustees
Allegany County Library System
Approved May 12, 2010
(Thanks to the Multnomah County Library for their assistance in developing this policy.)