Competency A

Introduction

Most professions have a set of ethics, core values and foundational principles that the governing body expects every member to follow. These ethics, values, and principles were created to help define, inform, and guide professionals in their practice. For librarians, the American Library Association (ALA)’s Policy Manual contains a section called- Core Values, Ethics, and Core Competencies. This section contains a section on the Core Values of Librarianship, Code of Professional Ethics for Librarians, Core Competencies of Librarianship, and a new section (since 2014) Copyright- An Interpretation of the Code of Professional Ethics for Librarians.

Ethics and values are intertwined. As Garnar (2021) points out when an ethical issue arises, one of the first steps is to determine which values are affected by the issue. The ALA Code of Ethics and the ALA Core Values of Librarianship were not created together but this idea still applies.

Ethics

Having a code of ethics is what defines a true profession. They are guidelines that outline the moral duties that we as librarians should be upholding. For librarians, one significant document is the ALA Code of Professional Ethics for Librarians. There are others, such as the newer (adopted in 2012) Code of Ethics for Librarians and Other Information Workers from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). The statements in the ALA Code of Ethics, while not a cure-all for all situations a librarian may encounter, are able to help guide a professional in the decision-making process or are stuck in an ethical situation.

The following is a summary of the statements (American Library Association, 2017):

1. Provide the highest level of service to everyone we serve and equitable access to all library resources.

2. Uphold intellectual freedom and resist censorship

3. Protect a library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality.

4. Respect intellectual property rights.

5. Advocate for a professional workplace.

6. We do not advance our private interests at the expense of any library stakeholders.

7. Profession excellence is achieved through education and lifelong learning.

8. Personal beliefs are separated from professional duties.

Values

As mentioned earlier, there is a correlation between a code of ethics and the list of core values, in that they inform each other. Having a defined list of professional values is important for a few reasons. Firstly, it helps define what the profession as a whole believes in and what we are there to accomplish. The list of values is also a yardstick that can be used as criteria for evaluation or a set of guidelines that detail how professionals should work together and with others. Finally, the values help professionals have a basis for actions taken in the face of issues that arise. It helps staff members of a library collectively and psychologically deal with the situation.

There has been much debate about what the term “core values” really means for information professionals with different information profession organizations having slightly different lists of shared values. The top three values that all associations (ALA, IFLA, Society of American Archivists, and Association of Independent Information Professionals):

#1- Access

#2- Confidentiality and Privacy

#3- Professionalism

While the following values have been embraced by the majority of librarians as a foundation of their practice, there are some who would like to see these values changed or better defined (Gorman & Romaniuk, 2018)(Koehler et al., 2000).

• Democracy & the Public Good

• Diversity

• Education and Lifelong Learning

• Intellectual Freedom

• Preservation

• Service

• Social Responsibility

• Sustainability (added in 2019)

Ethical Issues That LIS Professionals Now Face

Since the ALA Code of Ethics was introduced in 1939, the document has been revised three times to account for changes to the information landscape and the world at large. Here are some issues that LIS Professionals may be facing in their libraries (Garnar, 2021):

Digital Content

Ethics Affected: Equal Access to Information & Intellectual Property Rights

It’s a balancing act for libraries; where to spend available funds- physical resources or digital resources. In the case of digital resources, the issue is multifold. First, library staff will have to work to remove barriers to access including the provision of technology and teaching users how to use the technology. Second, librarians have to consider the licensing models that are used to gain access to digital resources.

Internet Filtering

Ethics Affected: Equal Access to Information

The use of internet filters is a common practice in both public and school libraries. The question is- do these filters sometimes go too far? How precise are they in identifying appropriate and inappropriate content?

User-Created Content

Ethics Affected: Intellectual Property Rights and Intellectual Freedom

As someone who works in a makerspace environment, this issue is of special importance to me professionally. The access to spaces that offer these tools brings up many important topics to address, including should (whether can) library staff place limits on what is made with those tools. Should the staff police things create in the space for copyright violations? Where is the line between a hobby and a business that is being run out of the library?

Changing Service Models

The introduction of self-service checkout kiosks in libraries and the increase in library resources available online have changed the way that patrons and library staff interact. This change now means that library staff have to evaluate in-person service provision as well as online service provision, something that libraries may not have the funds and/ or time for.

Neutrality

As part of the ALA Code of Ethics, we are told to keep our personal beliefs separate from professional duties, which is taken to mean that information professionals should remain neutral. However, neutrality is difficult to achieve, for example, information professionals take a position by standing up for the equity of access and service for marginalized communities, as well as denouncing bias and hate.