The question for this week is ‘Do you think libraries need policies regarding the use of social software tools? Why or why not?’ Yes, libraries absolutely need policies regarding the use of social software tools, for the same reasons they need policies for behavior in physical libraries. Not everyone who might wish to participate will have the same understanding and expectations of appropriate online behavior, and it’s important to be clear about expectations in advance. Both library staff and the general public may need reminding of what is and isn’t ok to do on a library blog, wiki, or online community. Jami Haskell writes about how to create a social software policy for your library, and she notes that a library needs to be sure that social software is used “responsibly, fairly and without legal liability”, and in a manner that is consistent with the library's policy for behavior in the library building.
The library’s social media policy should be posted on the library’s home website and on the library’s account on any social media sites the library uses. Participating in the library’s social media sites and accounts implies agreement to abide by the library’s policy, and that should be made clear in the policy itself. Having the policy publicly available means that there’s something to refer to when people cross the line or disagree about what’s appropriate.
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