Our latest series deals with Social Networking Policies.

Should library personnel be allowed to work on their own social networking pages during downtime at work?

Most places filter out social networking sites thus no one can work on them or read them unless your section can show a need to be there - either to respond or because the section/department has developed a site.

The very nature of a library should prevent the blocking of social networking sites. They should be available for patron use or to update the status of the library's pages. My library has two Facebook pages. One for the Foundation and the other for the library itself.

Should libraries filter patrons from accessing social networking sites?

I don't think patrons on open computers should be prevented from accessing social networking sites. Often, this is the only means that many of these folks have to access the Internet at all.

If employee staff are on their break or lunch - they should. We probably need to embrace technology a little more readily. As long as what they are viewing is not seen as objectionable by staff that can see their screen.

Good points. Many people have no access to the Internet at home. Social networking sites aren't all frivolous these days. Many businesses are not creating websites, but Facebook pages.

Our library provides computers in certain areas that are public. If a staff person is on their lunch hour, I am sure they can access one of the available computers for personal work as long as there is not a patron waiting. Also, many people have netbooks - if the library has Citizen WiFi then the staff person should be able to use their own netbook to access their pages.

This is a good point. Should library staff have to take a back seat to the public on their lunch hour? The biggest reason is that patrons don't know the staff is on their own time. Does this treat library staff as second class patrons because they cannot equally use the library's resources?

They should be allowed to use when concerned staff are not available and in their breaks as well.

I think it depends on if the staff is abusing the privilege and ignoring work or patrons because they are too busy playing online. With smart phones, even if you deny them access on computers, staff could always just use their phone. It makes more sense to allow it, especially if they are doing it during a break and it is not on a computer that the staff needs to do actual work on. The library I work at has not even addressed it as an issue yet. I think it also depends on if staff is logging in and staying logged in and checking it constantly during the day, taking away from productivity and what they should be doing. That's really the bottom line, in my opinion.

Unless you are paid for this then the answer is no. On your breaks if you bring with you something that connects to the internet and that connection is provided by yourself then of course you can during those breaks go wherever you want on the internet.