Louttit Library welcomes interaction with members of the community on various social networking websites, platforms and media. The intended audience for Louttit Library’s social media accounts is residents of West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and its surrounding communities as well as library visitors and supporters. 

Definition of Social Media:

For the purposes of this policy, "social media" is understood to be electronic communication through which users create or interact in online spaces to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. Social media includes any webpage or app through which Louttit Library has an account and interacts with other users.

Examples of social media include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. For the purposes of this policy, "comments" include information, articles, pictures, videos or any other form of communicative content posted on a Louttit Library social media site.

Patron Responsibilities and Usage:

Louttit Library invites comments, posts and messages, while recognizing and respecting differences of opinion and upholding the standards of ethics and conduct delineated in the Louttit Library Patron Behavior Policy. Comments expressed on Louttit Library’s social media accounts do not reflect the views or positions of the library, its officers, or its employees. Social media users should exercise their own judgement about the quality and accuracy of any information presented through social media. Louttit Library will not be held responsible or liable for the content posted to any Louttit Library-affiliated websites. Louttit Library further reserves the right to reproduce comments, posts and messages in other public venues, without further permission from subscribers. 

Louttit Library seeks to provide social media users with environments free from discrimination and obscenities. Therefore, all comments, posts and messages are subject to review by Louttit Library. Louttit Library reserves the right to remove any comment, post or message that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be abusive, defamatory, in violation of intellectual property rights, or otherwise inappropriate. Content containing the following will be removed: 

  • Disrespectful, inflammatory or off-topic comments
  • Obscene, racist or otherwise threatening comments
  • Personal attacks, insults, or harassment
  • Plagiarized material (quotations without credit lines)
  • Information that is likely to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems
  • Private or personal information published without consent
  • Commercial promotions, spam or organized political activity
  • Hyperlinks and images which meet any of the above criteria

If it happens that any individual repeatedly and/or habitually provides content to Louttit Library-sponsored websites that meets the criteria above, Louttit Library may block them from posting any further information to the library’s social media sites, but only after said person has received one warning that they are violating the policies contained herein. Any social media user who has been banned or had a message/content deleted may appeal this decision, in writing or email, to the Library Director. 

Email reconsideration requests should be sent to: director@louttitlibrary.org

Mailed reconsideration requests should be addressed to:

Louttit Library

Library Director

274 Victory Highway

West Greenwich, RI 02817

 

Upon receipt, the Library Director will respond to the reconsideration request within ten business days. A final appeal may be made to the Library Board of Trustees. 

Louttit Library will not collect, sell, or knowingly transfer to any third parties any personally identifiable information related to social media engagement with the library. Users must understand that social media is permanent, retrievable, and public. Messages can potentially be read by anyone once posted, regardless of status on friends, follower, or subscriber lists. Louttit Library recommends that users do not post their personal information or contact information on social media sites.

Interaction (posting, commenting, or messaging) with any Louttit Library-affiliated page, constitutes the indemnification of Louttit Library, its employees, and its affiliates from and against any and all liabilities, judgments, damages and costs incurred by any of them which arise out of or are related to content you post. Louttit Library assumes no liability regarding any event or interaction that takes place by any participant on any Library-affiliated social networking website.

Louttit Library Employee Responsibilities

All Louttit Library employees must follow all Louttit Library policies and expectations. Employees posting on Louttit Library social media sites during work or personal time should be aware that information they display or comments they make on Louttit Library’s social media sites may be viewed as representing official Louttit Library information or comments. 

Only designated Louttit Library employees may directly publish or comment via social media using the Louttit Library name and logo. Louttit Library employees are not authorized to create new social media channels on behalf of Louttit Library. Requests for channels, campaigns, or initiatives should be coordinated with the Director based on need and alignment with Louttit Library goals and objectives.

Louttit Library employees should follow all guidelines within the Louttit Library Personnel Policy when interacting on social media. 

Approved by the Board of Trustees on May 19, 2026