The Watertown Free Public Library extends beyond its walls to connect people to ideas, information, education, creative opportunities, and to each other. While preserving the rich history of Watertown, the WFPL embraces the advancement of library service, inspires personal development, and promotes community. The library provides free recreation, entertainment, and enrichment. The Watertown Free Public Library has been community based from its earliest days. Solon Whitney was named our first librarian in 1867. Throughout his 50 year career he publicly stated his firm belief that the library belonged to the citizens. This is still our basic belief today. During Whitney’s tenure our 1884 building was constructed. Now that building has been completely renovated with an addition that provides services for the 21st. In 2010, a community based committee completed a Long Range Plan for the Library. Central to this plan is the concept of the Watertown Free Public Library as a hub where all come to meet and connect in a welcoming, supportive environment. Watertown citizens have a library where they can pursue interests of all kinds - informational, recreational and educational. WFPL Social Media Policy:
PURPOSE
The Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) uses social media as an important tool to inform the public about library resources and activities, increase the use of library resources and provide additional communication with members of the public The WFPL regards social media as an information source that is in accordance with its mission of serving patrons to meet their informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs. Social media sites allow all members of the community to access the resources of the WFPL without requiring a visit to the physical library. DEFINITION
Social media is defined as any website or application which allows users to share information. Examples of social media are: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, wikis, photo sharing, video sharing, blogs, Flickr, Wordpress, and patron reviews and ratings of library materials. APPLICATION
The WFPL social media sites provide a limited (or designated) public forum intended for moderated discussion. To that end, comments, posts, and messages are permitted on designated WFPL social networking sites/media. While the library recognizes and respects differences in opinion, all such interactions will be regularly monitored and reviewed for content and relevancy (before publishing if possible). Postings which contain the following will be removed at the library staff’s discretion and the poster may be precluded from posting any subsequent messages to library social networking sites, insofar as such postings are not otherwise protected by the First Amendment or other related state/federal laws:
Obscene or discriminatory content
Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language
Potentially libelous statements
Plagiarized or copy-written material
Violation of intellectual property rights
Private, personal information published without consent of the appropriate party
Comments totally unrelated to the content of the discussion/posts that are off-topic
Comments that have the sole purpose to annoy or harass other person
Hyperlinks to material that is not directly related to the discussion
Commercial promotions, petitions , spam or suspected bot activity
Organized political activity
Photos or other images that fall in any of the above categories
Notwithstanding the above, the WFPL is not obligated to take such actions, and will not be responsible or liable for content posted by any subscriber in any forum, message board, or other area within our social media sites. WFPL staff reserve the right to not publish any posting, or to remove it later. Library staff reserves the right to edit or modify postings or content, while retaining the intent of the original post. The library has right to reproduce comments, posts and messages in other public venues/library publications. The WFPL assumes no liability regarding any event that occurs or interaction that takes place involving any participant in any library-sponsored social networking media service. The library does not endorse or review content outside the “pages” created by library staff. As with more traditional resources, the WFPL does not act in place of, or in the absence of, a parent or guardian and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions which a parent or guardian my place on a minor’s use of these resources. Library social networking sites may be terminated at any time without notice to subscribers. Challenges to social media used by the library will be dealt with in the same manner using the library’s reconsideration policy. Patrons who are blocked and/or have had comments deleted by library staff may appeal this action, in writing, to the Director/Assistant Director of the Library within 30 days; the Director/Assistant Director will affirm or reverse the staff’s decision within 30 days after the written appeal. INDEMNIFICATION
By posting content, the patron/user agrees to indemnify the WFPL and its officers and employees from and against all liabilities, judgments and damages and costs (including attorney’s fees) incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related to the posted content. If any user does not agree to these terms, he or she should not use the social media services. Approved March 6, 2012
Updated May 2, 2017
Updated June 6, 2023
