New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL)
Guidelines and Procedures for Using Social Media
Statement of Policy
While using social media on NJASL’s behalf, appointees are granted permission to use social media as a conduit for informing the NJASL community about endeavors and initiatives of the association. This needs to occur in a professional and ethical manner. All social media communication representing NJASL should adhere to the following guidelines and procedures to ensure that we represent a single, unified organization.
Following the Policy
It is best to err on the side of caution. If a member, for whatever reason, takes an action that is in conflict with this policy, he or she will be contacted to resolve the situation and may be asked to withdraw, correct, or revise postings. If the post is determined to be egregious, or intentionally hurtful, the individual may be asked to resign from his or her position by the NJASL president.
NJASL supports ALA’s Social Media Guidelines that includes:
"Unacceptable behavior that may result in the removal of a post or the temporary blocking of a user could include speech that is not protected by the First Amendment, such as copyright violations, obscenity, child pornography, defamatory or libelous comments, or imminent or true threats against the library, library staff or other users."
Guidelines
Logistics
● NJASL believes in transparency and honesty. Post with clear intentions that you are representing NJASL and do not post anonymously, use pseudonyms or use false screen names.
● Use tags when posting NJASL content (e.g. #njasl or @njasl) to help ensure your message reaches its targeted audience.
● Use an approved NJASL logo.
● Know and respect your audience at all times, including NJASL and its members
● Be smart and protect your privacy by taking simple steps such as avoiding posting personal details.
● Avoid social media arguments and debates and alert the President, Public Relations, Communication, and Publications Committee Chair, and Social Media Subcommittee Chair if you see a misrepresentation made about NJASL on social media.
● If you are accused by anyone of posting something improperly, inform the President, Public Relations, Communication, and Publications Committee Chair, and Social Media Subcommittee Chair of the situation promptly in order to determine the next steps and to quickly resolve the situation.
Content
● Remember that you are representing NJASL and that the content you create is a reflection of our organization. Position statements or opinions on issues should not be posted unless it is a position that has been voted on and approved by the NJASL Board.
● Before posting, ask yourself if the post will improve the knowledge or skills of NJASL members, if it contributes directly or indirectly to the improvement of NJASL, if it builds a sense of community or it helps to promote NJASL’s mission. If the answer is yes, post the content. If it’s no, then don’t post it.
● Encourage participation and only delete reader comments sparingly, including under the following circumstances: Off-topic messages, and those that do not meet the mission of the document, spam, personal attacks, illegal content, offensive language, and private/confidential information.
● Write about what you know (always verify any facts, dates etc. before posting anything).
● Cite articles and resources when necessary with traditional citations, tags or links.
● What you publish will be around for a long time so consider the content carefully. Strive to make sure it is accurate and professional.
● Adhere to the laws governing copyright and fair use or fair dealing of copyrighted material owned by others.
● Photos accompanying news articles do not require written permission, but may have a limited period of time for public display.
● Provide photo credits when possible, to ensure that the photographer is recognized.
● Ensure that the proper permissions are acquired before using photos of individuals.
● Parental permission is required for photos of minors.
PUBLICATIONS
- 1. A copy of each NJASL publication via the NJASL website.
- 2. Copyright protection will be taken into consideration on all publications.
- Approved by the Board of Trustees, April 24, 2019
- Included in the NJASL Policy Manual