Social Media Policy

To engage with our community, promote library services, and provide a platform for information sharing and discussion, the Champaign Public Library engages with customers on social media.

Scope

Applies to all social media platforms managed by the Champaign Public Library. The Champaign Public Library recognizes that social media resources can be an effective way to inform the public and that sometimes it is in the Library’s best interests to use those resources for external communications. This policy is established to ensure that official social media resources are used in the best interests of the Library and in furtherance of the Library’s mission and values.

Guidelines Regarding Content Added by the Public

The Library’s official social media accounts are created and maintained as "limited public forums" under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Library allows members of the public to view and, in some instances, post content on the Library’s social media accounts.

Content posted on the Library’s social media accounts should generally relate to the official business of the Library. The Library is permitted to hide and/or remove content that is not protected speech under the First Amendment. The Library will not hide or remove public content solely because it is critical of the Library or its officials. Content posted by a member of the public on an official social media resource is the opinion of that user only, and publication does not imply the endorsement, agreement, or necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Library. User comments, private messages, and other shared content posted on official social media resources are subject to public records release.

Prohibited Public Content Relevant First Amendment case law allows the Library to hide or remove certain public content posted on the Library’s official social media accounts. The following types of content are prohibited and may be subject to removal:

1. Content containing actual defamation against a person, either as determined by a court or content that is patently defamatory by easily discovered facts
2. Threats which indicate an intent to commit an unlawful act of violence against an individual or group of individuals.
3. Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination in violation of the City of Champaign’s Human Rights Ordinance or applicable law, to the extent that such content does not constitute protected speech under the First Amendment.
4. Content with malware or malicious content (or links to the same) that can affect the normal functionality of a computer, mobile device, server, or browser.
5. Content that contains a hyperlink to any website other than those controlled by the Champaign Public Library or another governmental entity. This will be done without regard to the viewpoint of the content containing such a link or the content of the site to which the link redirects.
6. Advertising or promotion of a specific commercial business or enterprise. Posts that support Champaign businesses generally, welcome new businesses, and/or support local economic development and business expansion are permitted.
7. Content containing personal information (e.g., birth dates, social security numbers, personal addresses or phone numbers, etc.) or information the release of which violates another person or entity’s legal rights.
8. Content containing obscenity, which is defined as sexually explicit and/or pornographic content that is patently offensive, appeals to prurient interest, and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
9. Profanity, as determined by the profanity filters offered through each social media platform.
10. Content that contains images or other content that violates the intellectual property rights or copyright of someone else, if the owner of said property/copyright notifies the Library that the property was posted without their authorization.
11. Content promoting or encouraging violence or illegal activity.
12. Duplicate content posted repeatedly within a short period of time.
13. Content that may violate the Library’s Petitioning Policy.

Enforcement

Violations may lead to content removal and potential restrictions for customers.

Reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees on September 17, 2025