Purpose & Scope of Policy

Mansfield Mission Statement: In support of the University of Montana-Missoula’s mission to pursue academic excellence, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library facilitates the intellectual and creative pursuits of all members of the University community and supports their informational, educational and cultural development as global citizens.

These policies detail the conduct that allows patrons of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library to engage with our Instagram account as a designated public forum. From the American Library Association: “there is a strong argument that opening social media for public comment creates a designated public forum as it does in the analogous situation where a governmental entity opens a meeting room or exhibit space for public use.”

These policies pertain solely to the Mansfield Library’s official Instagram account. Other Mansfield policies can be found on our website under Policies.

Patron Conduct

Individual user expectation must be balanced by and consistent with the use of the ethical principles set forth by the University and with accepted community standards. The following guidelines are the responsibility of all patrons who choose to interact (comment, message, or share) content posted to the Mansfield Instagram account. The following behaviors are expected:

• Interact courteously with other users and library staff, as one would in-building.
• In no way attempt to circumvent or weaken the security or integrity of the information technology environment.
• Respect intellectual property including copyright.

The following behaviors are not tolerated on posts made by the Mansfield Library Instagram:

• Spamming (the use of messaging systems to send an unsolicited message, especially advertising, as well as sending messages repeatedly on the same post) comments or messages on Instagram posts.
• Personal attacks or threats.
• Hate speech, defined by the American Library Association as “any form of expression through which speakers intend to vilify, humiliate, or incite hatred against a group or a class of persons.”
• Advertising or promoting activities, events, sales or services unaffiliated with the University in the comments of Mansfield posts.
• Doxxing (search for and publishing private or identifying information, typically with malicious intent) other patrons, students, or University of Montana employees.

When library users do not comply with these guidelines, they may receive a reply to their comment or a direct message asking them to remove it, or be informed the comment has been removed. Repeated violations of library policies may lead to the individual being blocked from viewing/interacting with the Mansfield Instagram account. Hate speech, personal attacks or threats of any variety will result in immediate deletion of the comment(s) and an account block.

Content Removal

If you find incorrect content or you are a rights holder and believe inclusion of content on our Instagram violates your rights (e.g. inclusion is not covered by the Fair Use or other exemption to a copyright holder’s rights), please contact us at (406) 243-6866 and include the following:

• Your contact information (including email address and phone)
• Exact URL where you found the content or date of post.
• Details that describe what content you are referring to and why it is incorrect, offensive, or in violation of copyright.
• If reporting a copyright violation, please include:
  • A reason why you believe that your rights have been violated, with any pertinent documentation
  • A statement that you in good faith believe that use of the content in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
  • A statement that the information in your notification is accurate and that you are the rights holder or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner

We will notify you as soon as possible that we have begun assessment of the content in question.

We may temporarily remove the content from public view while we assess the concern.

Upon completion of the assessment, we will take appropriate action and communicate that action to you.

Source Transparency

The Mansfield Library Instagram seeks to offer only verifiable information to its followers. To this end, data offered on the Instagram page (i.e. statistics) is only cited when it can be linked to a source considered unbiased or otherwise transparent in its treatment of that data.

Separation of Accounts

We acknowledge that staff members of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library may possess their own personal social media accounts. The Mansfield Library makes a distinction between personal and professional accounts. The views expressed by the personal accounts of Mansfield employees do not represent the views of the Mansfield Library or of the University of Montana.

Copyright Material

The Mansfield Library Instagram only posts copyrighted material with credit to its copyright holder.

[Approved by the Mansfield Library Marketing Committee – September 23, 2019.]