Hawaii State
Public Library System

In keeping with the Hawaii State Public Library System’s (HSPLS) mission to nurture “a lifelong love of reading and learning through its staff, collections, programs, services, and physical and virtual spaces.” HSPLS utilizes various social media applications whereby HSPLS staff and patrons can interact through virtual (internet) communication to effectively promote our programs, collections, services, and electronic resources. HSPLS will periodically assess and possibly revise its social media policy and we encourage you to review our social media policy periodically. The role and utility of social media sites will be evaluated periodically by HSPLS staff and may be terminated at any time without notice to subscribers. 

What is Social Media?

Social media is defined as any website or application that allows users to share information. Social media can include, but is not limited to, blogging, instant messaging, social media sites, and wikis. Many social media sites allow users of those sites to become a “friend”, “follower” or otherwise associate their own “profiles” or virtual presences with HSPLS’s profile on these sites. Examples of such sites are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and blogging platforms like WordPress.  

Personal Information

HSPLS does not collect, maintain or otherwise use the personal information stored on any third– party site in any way other than to communicate with users on that site, unless granted permission by users for HSPLS contact outside the site. Contact outside the site may include program promotion, volunteer opportunities, reference help, or other similar activities. Users may remove themselves at any time from HSPLS’s “friend” or “follower” lists, or request that HSPLS remove them. Users should be aware that third party websites have their own privacy policies and should proceed accordingly. 

Comments, Posts, and Messages

HSPLS shall be granted the right to reproduce comments, posts, and messages in other public venues. For example, a response to a Facebook post or blog book review may be quoted in a newspaper or on the HSPLS website. No personal information, other than first name, will be used unless prior approval is granted by the user. 

HSPLS assumes no liability regarding any content provided by any participant in any HSPLS sponsored social media service and does not endorse or review content outside the “pages” created by HSPLS staff. 

To participate in HSPLS social media services, you must agree to abide by all HSPLS policies, including Internet Acceptable Use Policy, Internet Use Guidelines, Social Media Policy for HSPLS Users, and the Terms of Service of each individual third-party service provider. 

HSPLS does not act in place of or in the absence of a parent and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions that a parent or guardian may place on a minor’s use of this resource. 

Comment Removal Policy

The official HSPLS social media accounts will serve as a limited public forum that will allow us to share information about HSPLS with the people of Hawaii and our followers outside of Hawaii. All library users are welcome to participate, provided they accept the terms of service of the respective social media platforms; because users may be under the age of 18, profanity and violent and/or sexual imagery are prohibited. 

HSPLS is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and free discourse. You are welcome to participate and comment on our blogs and social media sites, but we require that all participants adhere to the general rules of civility. 

All social media interactions will be regularly monitored, reviewed, and approved for content and relevancy (before publishing when possible). All postings that contain any of the following will be removed, and the poster may be barred from posting any subsequent messages to HSPLS social media sites: 

• Sexual, graphically violent, or racist content 
• Personal attacks, insults, or threatening language 
• Potentially libelous statements 
• Plagiarism or violation of copyright 
• Private, personal information published without consent 
• Personally identifiable information
• Content unrelated to the content of the forum 
• Commercial promotions or spam 
• Fundraising for any charitable or political organization except the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, its affiliates, or any 501-c-3 organization whose primary purpose is to benefit HSPLS libraries 
• Organized political activity 

Comments and opinions expressed through any Hawaii State Public Library System social media account are those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Hawaii State Public Library System, its partners, affiliates, the State of Hawaii, or other governmental agencies. 

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions or concerns regarding HSPLS social media, please feel free to provide feedback by completing this give us feedback online form. 

Adapted from: Social Networking Policy, Whitman Public Library [permission obtained 8/12]