[Web4lib] Online Book Discussions - Spun from MySpace topic

[Bret Parker]

Specifically, are there libraries out there that have moderated online
book discussions? 

What policies, if any did you come up with?  Similarly, if you allow
blog-style postings or rate-and-review postings about books in the
collection, what similar policies have you established?  I am thinking
of ventures like Ann Arbor District Library's recent (book blogs, with
comments turned on) and still more recent novelties (rate-and-review
feature):

http://www.aadl.org/catalog  Scroll till you find a blog entry
commented.

These questions were prompted by Margaret Hazel's post under the
thread: "MySpace and Public Libraries"
but it seemed time to spin a new thread
>>>>>>>>>>>>quote>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I have a somewhat different angle on this question - I'm trying to
find
out if anyone implementing social networking tools of any sort for the
public has gotten a legal opinion on our role as public institutions
in
providing that public interaction.  Are we creating a public forum,
and
what can we and can't we do, once we've done this?  Have people
considered the intellectual freedom aspects of providing the access to
these interactive tools?  What kind of training, disclaimers, rules,
etc. have you set in place around the tools?

-Margaret Hazel
 Eugene Public Library 
 Eugene, OR

Bret Parker, Senior Applications Programmer Analyst (MLIS)
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library
City of Stockton (California)
bret.parker at ci.stockton.ca.us
(209) 937-7148

http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us


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