Library About Policies Social Media

         

DiMenna-Nyselius Library uses social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and Instagram, to communicate effectively using channels favored by the Fairfield University community.  Our social media presence serves to publicize library services, materials, and events and creates means for users to provide feedback and seek assistance.  We adhere to the Fairfield University Social Media Policy and at all times strive to represent the Ignatian ideals upheld by the University.

Stated succinctly, our goals are to create awareness and to invite conversation on library and higher education matters.  Maintenance of a social media account requires generating interesting, engaging, and useful content relevant to the library, posting this content regularly, and responding to questions and/or comments both directly addressed to the library and mentioned by social media users in the community. 

 “Engaging” content includes:

  • Photos and/or videos
  • Topics relevant to current events and campus life
  • Posts that call for a response from the community (polls, questions)
  • Announcements of new materials

Best practices include:

  • Cultivating a relatable and respectful tone
  • Never posting derogatory or potentially offensive comments
  • Providing information and responding to users in accordance with American Library Association's recommendations for Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries
  • Posting only accurate material, citing when appropriate, and adhering to copyright laws
  • Crafting thoughtful posts that reflect our users’ needs and interests
  • Remaining sympathetic to the concerns of our patrons

Content, both Library and user generated, will be excluded if it does not comply with Fairfield University's policy on academic freedom as defined in the University Student Handbook, specifically if it is defamatory, willfully false, obscene, or, promotes racial hatred or discrimination. Content will also be excluded if it is for the solicitation of business, for profit or for fundraising, or if it is not relevant to the original posting.   A posted comment is the opinion of the poster only, and publication of user comments does not imply endorsement or agreement by DiMenna-Nyselius Library.

The DiMenna-Nyselius Library is here to serve the community, and we frame all of our postings and responses with this goal in mind.  We strive first to provide support of student learning and faculty teaching, and second to be interesting.