Social Media Policy

Cranston Public Library Social Media Policy

Cranston Public Library (the Library) welcomes interaction with members of the community on various social networking websites, platforms and media. Social media is broadly defined as any web application, site or account created and maintained by the library which allows users to share or obtain information. The intended audience for the Library’s social media accounts is the general public, including residents of communities that are members of the Ocean State Libraries Consortium, visitors to the library, and other interested parties. 

The Library invites comments, posts and messages, while recognizing and respecting differences of opinion and upholding the standards of ethics and conduct delineated in the Cranston Public Library Code of Conduct. Comments expressed on the Library’s social media accounts do not reflect the views or positions of the library, its officers, or its employees. Social media users should exercise their own judgement about the quality and accuracy of any information presented through social media. Cranston Public Library will not be held responsible or liable for the content posted to any Library-affiliated websites. The Library further reserves the right to reproduce comments, posts and messages in other public venues, without further permission from subscribers. 

The Library seeks to provide social media users with environments free from discrimination and obscenities. Therefore, all comments, posts and messages are subject to review by the Library. The Library reserves the right to remove any comment, post or message that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be abusive, defamatory, in violation of intellectual property rights, or otherwise inappropriate. Content containing the following will be removed: 

• Disrespectful, inflammatory or off-topic comments
• Obscene, racist or otherwise threatening comments
• Personal attacks, insults, or harassment
• Plagiarized material (quotations without credit lines)
• Information that is likely to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems
• Private or personal information published without consent
• Commercial promotions, spam or organized political activity
• Hyperlinks and images which meet any of the above criteria

If it happens that any individual repeatedly and/or habitually provides content to Library-sponsored websites that meets the criteria above, the Library may block them from posting any further information to the library’s social media sites, but only after said person has received one warning that they are violating the policies contained herein. Any social media user who has been banned or had a message/content deleted may appeal this decision, in writing or email, to the Library Director. 

Email reconsideration requests should be sent to: director@cranstonlibrary.org (opens an email)

Mailed reconsideration requests should be addressed to:

Cranston Public Library
Library Director
140 Sockanosset Cross Road
Cranston, RI 02920

Upon receipt, the Library Director will respond to the reconsideration request within ten business days. A final appeal may be made to the Library Board of Trustees. 

The Library will not collect, sell, or knowingly transfer to any third parties any personally identifiable information related to social media engagement with the library. Users must understand that social media is permanent, retrievable, and public. Messages can potentially be read by anyone once posted, regardless of status on friends, follower, or subscriber lists. The Library recommends that users do not post their personal information or contact information on social media sites.

Interaction (posting, commenting, or messaging) with any Library-affiliated page, constitutes the indemnification of Cranston Public Library, its employees, its affiliates and the City of Cranston from and against any and all liabilities, judgments, damages and costs incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related to content you post.  The Library assumes no liability regarding any event or interaction that takes place by any participant on any Library-affiliated social networking website.