Policy on Patron-Generated Web Content

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NYPL encourages patrons to become involved in interactive portions of our website, by participating in online discussions and, in some cases, uploading content. Before you participate in these activities, however, we ask that you keep the following in mind:

1. Patrons who provide content to NYPL for its website are granting NYPL a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such material. In most cases, NYPL will only use this material on its website, but NYPL reserves the right to also use this material in other ways, such as in promotional materials created about the Library and on third-party websites on which the Library promotes its services, collections and/or activities. In each instance, you agree that NYPL may use your content for these purposes without making any payments to you. If you are not willing to grant NYPL these rights, please do not contribute content to our site.

2. Please make sure that any content you contribute does not infringe on the rights of any third party. For example, if you upload a drawing or a photo, please make sure that you are the creator of the artwork/photo. Do not contribute content to which you don’t own the rights.

3. Please also remember to exercise good judgment when contributing written material or other content. In the NYPL blogs, for example, the Library prohibits comments that are offensive or objectionable to others, that use inappropriate language, or that are off-topic. In most instances, we will not have the resources to review patron comments/content, but we do reserve the right to edit or delete user comments/content in a manner consistent with our mission and policies. We also ask that you do not insert your own or a third party's advertising, branding or other promotional content into any of your comments/content.

4. NYPL is not responsible for any of the patron-generated comments/content that appear on our websites.

View our full Website Terms and Conditions