[Web4lib] Library Facebook profile shut down

[Kraemer, Beth]

Hi - A colleague (Stacey Greenwell) and I developed a University of
Kentucky Libraries presence on Facebook this summer.  Facebook recently
disabled our account citing a violation of their Terms of Agreement
which they say specifies that organizational profiles are not allowed.
Profiles must be created for individuals only.  We are disputing this
interpretation of the Facebook Terms. In the mean time, we are retaining
our personal Facebook profiles in order to create a Facebook Group for
the library, which was the solution recommended by Facebook.  Stacey has
posted additional information in this SLA blog:

<http://sla-divisions.typepad.com/itbloggingsection/2006/09/librarys_fac
ebo.html>

At the moment, several libraries around the country do have active
Facebook profiles, but the implication is that more may be shut down in
the coming months.  This at least represents a potential big waste of
time for the librarians who maintain those profiles - the sites they
have put time and effort into will be deleted.  We wanted to spread the
word about this, but we are also still trying to talk with Facebook.
Stacey will post updates to the above blog.  -Beth

*******************************************
Beth Kraemer
Information Technology
2-1 William T. Young Library           
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0456
phone: (859)257-0500 x 2115
fax: (859)257-0505
kraemer at email.uky.edu