Competency A

One of the strongest foundational values in any society or civilization is the right to access information. Information professionals act as a gateway to information, and it is for this very reason that ethics are considered fundamental and a cornerstone of the profession. The American Library Association recognizes the importance of ethics and has constructed several documents and policies governing the actions of information professionals, libraries and institutions of information. The Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement and Code of Ethics are all fundamental in establishing the professional conduct of those in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field, and it is important that all adhere to the principles established in the documents. I will briefly discuss the Code of Ethics, and its application in the LIS field.

Adopted in 1939, the ALA Code of Ethics governs how a LIS professional should conduct themselves and provide access to information. The document outlines 8 broad statements to guide ethical decisions. The document covers how information professionals should conduct themselves, intellectual freedom, user privacy and confidentiality, copyright protection, how to treat and interact with co-workers, avoiding personal interests, distinguishing between personal and professional beliefs, and finally provides a statement on knowledge being never-ending. I will expand on each individual statement and how it applies to the field.

The first statement highlights that information professionals should act courteously, free of bias, and in accordance with specific institutional policies and resources. It is important that a professional recognizes that they are there to serve the patrons and the community, and it is therefore necessary that they conduct themselves appropriately. Being even-tempered and courteous will help better assist patrons, and the way one conducts themselves should reflect the values and policies of the specific institution.

The second and third statements highlight intellectual freedom and user privacy, respectively. Statement two states that as information professionals, intellectual freedom must be observed, and resources should not be censored or limited. This would include banning books from classrooms or removing books from libraries. It is important to properly disseminate information equally to all, regardless of one's personal opinions. Statement three illuminates the user's right to privacy with respect to materials sought or acquired. In a modern context, that can be translated to protecting personal information and search histories, while also maintaining confidentiality on items borrowed or requested.

Statement four deals with copyright protection. It is important that intellectual property rights are observed, and that there is a balance between the interests of rights holders and information seekers. If an institution seeks to provide as much relevant information as possible, intellectual property rights and copyright must be taken into consideration when disseminating the protected works. Fair Use can be observed for educational and/or archival purposes, but the institution must ensure that their actions fall specifically under the terms specified in the Act to avoid wrongdoing. This could be applicable to a historical society wanting to make newspaper archives available online to the public. They would have to secure permission from the copyright holder or make the digital copies available only on site and offline.

Statements five through seven outline how an information professional should conduct themselves in regard to coworkers, the workplace and patron interests, respectively. Statement five deals with how co-workers should be treated. Everyone should be treated with respect, and the workplace should foster a sense of safety and fairness. An information professional should always feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings, and consequently, this will translate to a safe environment for the patrons. Statement six states that an information professional should not advance personal interests at the expense of the patrons or institutions. Thus, one should not promote personal or financial gain at places of employment. Statement seven highlights that one should distinguish between personal and professional beliefs. The profession should be free of bias and should not interfere with a patron's access to information. If one does not agree with a specific method of instruction of religious affiliation, the information cannot be omitted from searches or inquiries by patrons.

The last statement emphasizes that, as information professionals, knowledge is never-ending, and we should strive to continue to improve in order to better serve the community. Access to information continues to evolve, so the information professional needs to continue to learn new technology and methodologies for providing access to the information. If new software becomes available to streamline a process or a new technology makes it easier to access information, the information professional should research ways to incorporate the new software and technology if it would prove beneficial to the community.

While it is difficult to predict all situations that may arise, the document provides a framework for information professionals to follow, and the responsibility of acting ethically falls on the individual. Though it was written before the internet and technology advanced to current levels, the document remains widely accessed and referenced, and was most recently updated and amended in 2008. To highlight the importance of and reliance on the ALA Code of Ethics, a study was carried out in 2014 that asked reference librarians about how they handle ethical dilemmas and situations. Luo states that when presented with an ethical dilemma, most reference librarians consult a supervisor or colleague for guidance (58%) or apply the specific institution’s ethics policy (26.9%). However, the results also reveal that 25.9% of librarians reference and apply the ALA’s Code of Ethics (2014, p. 178). This study reveals that while supervisors are and should be consulted, more than a quarter of all librarians still reference the foundational document and seek guidance from the ALA Code of Ethics. Additionally, many institutions’ own code of ethics closely resemble those established by the ALA.