Communications Policy

The Davidson County Public Library System (DCPL) communicates its mission and services to the community and general public population through a variety of means, including but not limited to, photographs, video, media releases, newsletters, and social media.  By using these communicative avenues and platforms, the Davidson County Public Library System strives to raise awareness of services, communicate an inspiring vision, and share stories about the ways the library positively impacts the community.

The purpose of this policy is to establish standards and responsibilities so that communications from the Davidson County Public Library System are accurate, consistent, compelling and that they are in keeping with existing policies and legal requirements. 

Media Release

  • Programs, events, and classes are regularly photographed or videotaped for library promotional purposes.  
  • By participating in these events, participants are giving consent for the Davidson County Public Library System to use/publish group photos for publication and/or distribution.  In order to protect patron's privacy, the Davidson County Public Library System may require the receipt of a patron-signed media release form before an individual's identifiable image in library publications, social media, and websites.

Media Relations

  • With the intention of providing effective, responsive, and consistent communications to the community through news outlets, the primary spokesperson for the Davidson County Public Library System is the Library Director or his or her designee.

Social Media

Davidson County Public Library System (DCPL) strives to use social media in advancing the organizational mission and goals.  The library's presence on social media sites or services is considered an extension of the Davidson County Government's information networks and are governed by its policies including email, Internet usage, and computer policies; this policy applies to all types of online public communications.

  • The Library Director, under the direct of the Assistant County Manager, oversees the DCPL's social media presence.  Only his of her designees are permitted to conduct business using DCPL social media accounts.
  • Library staff are responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and county laws, regulations, and policies.  This includes adherence to established laws and policies regarding copyright, fair use, records retention, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), First Amendment, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), privacy laws, and information security policies established by Davidson County Public Library System.
  • DCPL reserves the right to withdraw certain posts and/or remove inappropriate comments that are not consistent with Davidson County Public Library System policies or are unlawful.
  • Library staff will monitor all social media content and evaluate the effectiveness of the organization's social media presence to ensure adherence to the Communications Policy for appropriate use, messaging, and branding consistent with the mission and vision of DCPL.
  • Social Media and Internet postings should not disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to the Davidson County Public Library System or to any third party that has disclosed information to the organization.
  • Davidson County Public Library System postings should include DCPL logos or images.
  • Library staff communicating with the public and/or posting content in any Davidson County Public Library System social media accounts will be clearly identifiable as a DCPL employee and abide by the same employee code of conduct applied to normal business operations and in keeping with the Davidson County Human Resources Resolution.
  • Staff members using social media are responsible for regularly reviewing and consistently following the Davidson County Public Library System's Communications Policy.
  • Davidson County Public Library System employees posting DCPL and/or public sector industry-related content on personal social media account(s) should neither claim nor imply that they are speaking on the organization's behalf.  In such instances that an employee is identifiable as a DCPL staff member on their personal social media accounts, the staff member's comments should include a disclaimer: "The views expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Davidson County Public Library."