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Terms of Use and Community Guidelines

Effective Date: August 23, 2026

Welcome to the Big Read Macon County website. By accessing or using this website, you agree to comply with these Terms of Use and Community Guidelines.

Big Read Macon County is an initiative of the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation, in partnership with Three Link Media and NowDecatur.com. The initiative is supported through the NEA Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, please do not use the website.

1. Purpose of the Website

The Big Read Macon County website exists to provide information about the community-wide reading initiative, its featured book, events, programs, educational resources, community partners, and opportunities for participation.

Information on this website is provided for general informational and community-educational purposes.

2. Website Content

Unless otherwise indicated, content created specifically for Big Read Macon County—including text, graphics, photographs, videos, logos, artwork, program materials, and other original materials—is owned by or licensed to Big Read Macon County or its partners and may be protected by copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property laws.

You may:

  • View the website for personal and non-commercial purposes.

  • Share links to pages on the website.

  • Download or print materials specifically made available for personal, educational, or community use.

  • Reference and quote reasonable portions of website content for legitimate purposes, provided appropriate credit is given.

You may not reproduce, republish, modify, distribute, sell, or commercially exploit substantial portions of website content without prior written permission, unless otherwise permitted by law.

3. Third-Party Content

Some materials appearing on the website may be provided by authors, artists, community organizations, event partners, sponsors, public agencies, or other third parties.

The rights to third-party materials remain with their respective owners. Permission to use third-party materials should be obtained from the appropriate rights holder.

4. User-Submitted Content

The website may provide opportunities for visitors to submit comments, photographs, stories, artwork, videos, testimonials, recommendations, or other materials.

By submitting content, you represent that:

  • You own the content or have permission to submit it.

  • Your submission does not knowingly violate another person's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights.

  • Your submission is not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, fraudulent, or intentionally misleading.

  • You have obtained appropriate permission from individuals depicted in photographs or videos when such permission is required.

By submitting content, you grant Big Read Macon County and its participating partners a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, display, distribute, edit for length or formatting, and otherwise use the submission in connection with Big Read Macon County, including on websites, social media, promotional materials, publications, and related communications.

This license does not transfer ownership of your original work to Big Read Macon County.

5. Community Participation and Comments

Big Read Macon County welcomes thoughtful, respectful participation and recognizes that meaningful conversations may include differing viewpoints.

When participating through comments, forms, social media integrations, community submissions, or other interactive features, users must not submit content that:

  • Is threatening, harassing, hateful, or abusive toward another person or group

  • Contains threats of violence

  • Is knowingly false or defamatory

  • Violates another person's privacy

  • Infringes intellectual property rights

  • Contains sexually explicit or obscene material inappropriate for the context

  • Promotes illegal activity

  • Contains malicious software, spam, or deceptive links

  • Is primarily commercial solicitation or advertising

  • Impersonates another person or organization

  • Violates applicable law

Big Read Macon County reserves the right, but not the obligation, to remove or decline to publish content that violates these guidelines or that is otherwise inappropriate for the website or program.

6. Respectful Dialogue

The Big Read Macon County initiative is intended to encourage reading, conversation, creativity, and connections among community members.

Disagreement is welcome. Personal attacks are not.

Participants are encouraged to engage with ideas rather than attack individuals and to contribute to discussions in a manner that respects the dignity and perspectives of others.

7. Accuracy of Information

We make reasonable efforts to provide accurate and current information. However, event dates, times, locations, schedules, speakers, registration requirements, and other program details may change.

We encourage visitors to verify important event information before attending.

Big Read Macon County does not guarantee that all website information will always be complete, accurate, current, or error-free.

8. Links to Other Websites

The website may contain links to websites operated by third parties.

These links are provided as a convenience and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the linked organization, product, service, viewpoint, or content.

Big Read Macon County is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, security, or availability of third-party websites.

9. No Guarantee of Website Availability

We make reasonable efforts to maintain the website, but access may occasionally be interrupted because of maintenance, technical problems, security issues, internet service interruptions, or circumstances beyond our control.

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access to the website.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Big Read Macon County, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation, Three Link Media, NowDecatur.com, and their respective officers, directors, employees, volunteers, contractors, and partners will not be liable for damages arising from or related to your use of the website or reliance on information provided through the website.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit any rights or remedies that cannot legally be limited.

11. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms of Use and Community Guidelines from time to time.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the website following a change constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws applicable in the State of Illinois, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

13. Contact

Questions regarding these Terms of Use or Community Guidelines may be directed to:

Heart of Illinois Community Foundation
101 S. Main St., Suite 400
Decatur, Illinois 62523
217-429-3000

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