Student Learning Outcome #1

Philosophy, Principles, & Ethics

The ALA Code of Ethics defines the values, principles, and responsibilities that ALA feels its members should be committed to. Due to the extent to which we control what information is available to our patrons, we must The major principles of this Code are:

• We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.

• We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.

• We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.

• We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders.

• We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.

• We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.

• We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.

• We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.​ ​

(ALA, 2008)

By following this code, librarians agree to treat patrons, colleagues, and ideas with respect. We provide equitable and ethical access to information; it is not our place to pass judgement on others in their search for information or to restrict their access to information based on their age, origin, views, or background.We also resist efforts by outside organizations to restrict access, and attempt to avoid any conflicts of interest that might impede our patrons ability to access the information and services they need.

The IFLA Code of Ethics cites six core principles at the heart of ethical librarian behavior (IFLA, 2016).

1. Access to information- Librarians make every effort to provide free access to information for any purpose, reject attempts to restrict access, promote library collections and services to users, and include accessibility features wherever possible.

2. Responsibilities towards individuals and society- Librarians try to provide equitable access to all patrons, regardless of background. This can include adding foreign language materials to collections, designing user-friendly websites, and providing a variety of literacy assistance and instruction.

3. Privacy, secrecy, and transparency- Librarians protect their patrons’ privacy and support transparency on the part of government agencies.

4. Open access and intellectual property- Librarians work to maintain a balance between access for patrons and respect for intellectual property rights. They advocate for open access whenever possible.

5. Neutrality, personal integrity, and professional skills- Librarians do not allow their personal beliefs and interests to affect their professional actions. They continue to improve and add to their skills to provide the best service possible.

6. Colleague and employer/employee relationship- Library employees treat each other with respect and oppose all forms of discrimination. Collaboration and cooperation are encouraged.​

For me personally, all of these codes can be reduced to several essential values that I believe all librarians should stand for: intellectual freedom, equitable access, respect for diverse perspectives, respect for intellectual property, and life-long learning.

Intellectual freedom and equitable access are often closely related for librarians. Our role in our community is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity and ability to access information, technology, and education opportunities (ALA, 2017). At the same time, we are dedicated to making sure that no one’s right to seek and discover information from multiple perspectives is restricted due to age, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors. By supporting intellectual freedom, we respect every individual has a right to their own views and interests. Library collections and services are carefully developed in such a way that they represent diverse perspectives and support the needs of the community the library serves.

Personally, I believe equitable access to be one of the most important values of librarianship. As former First Woman Lady Bird Johnson said, "Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest." The library stands for everything that a democracy should be, open to all members of a community regardless of race, gender, religion, age, ability, financial status, or any other quality used to describe people. As librarians, we should strive every day to ensure that everyone is able to take advantage of the resources and services we offer, even when it means we must take action to reach them. Unfortunately, I anticipate that access will be something we will have to continue to fight and push for as more and more access to information becomes dependent on access to the internet. Despite the illusion of connectivity in the media, there are still members of our society who lack regular access and we will have to strive harder to breach the digital divide for them. Upcoming arguments surrounding the Net Neutrality issue also concern me, but I have no doubt that librarians will continue to do what it takes to ensure equitable access to our patrons.

In LIS 600: Foundations of Library and Information Studies, we were required to complete a training course to receive Institutional Review Board certification, essentially teaching us the tools and methods to use when conducting action research in a library setting, but also what is and isn’t acceptable when conducting research involving humans.Emphasis was placed on showing respect for research subjects and protecting their right to privacy, usually through anonymity. While library research is less physically dangerous than medical or psychological research, it still has the ability to impact someone’s life, and researchers must consider potential consequences before starting any research program.

Also in LIS 600, our professor asked us to write a series of blog posts focusing on the different aspects of the I.D.E.A. acronym being used by the UNCG MLIS program. IDEA stands for Information, Diversity, Engagement, and Access, with the expectation being that MLIS candidates and graduates will use these concepts to guide their practice and promote the notion of all patrons receiving equitable access to library resources and services. These posts were the first opportunity given in the program for us to consider what these concepts meant to each one of us as an individual, and to explore how our preconceptions aligned with the ethics and beliefs of the profession. My posts can still be found in the blog section of this website.

My own practice is guided by the principles I have discussed above as well as a number of educational principles, but I am particularly dedicated to the idea of providing equitable access to all, especially in relation to two groups traditionally under-served by school libraries: English-Language-Learners and patrons with disabilities. I have interned, worked, or volunteered in five different school libraries, and all of them had room to improve in providing access to these patrons.

REFERENCES

AASL. (2009). Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/learning

ALA. (2017, October 19). Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A. Retrieved November 03, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/faq#ifpoint1

ALA. (2017, September 26). Professional Ethics. Retrieved October 01, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/tools/ethics

IFLA. (2016, December 27). IFLA Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers (short version). Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.ifla.org/publications/ifla-code-of-ethics-for-librarians-and-other-information-workers--short-version-?og=30

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