SLO 1. The student assesses the philosophy, principles, and ethics of the library and information field.
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| Cartoon with text: "You can't teach values, only help others find them." Source |
Ethics
I can write about ethics without a problem! I thought when I read the first student learning outcome. After all, I had been a teacher for fifteen years and am currently working in retail. I could list many examples of unethical behaviors. But when specifically tasked to assess ethics and philosophy as it pertains to libraries? I must admit I drew a very large BLANK.
My first foray into ethics discussion is in my very first reflection paper of Library 600, which is the introductory class. Information studies versus library science is the topic of the reflection paper, and I had to smile when I discovered that I began that reflection in the same vein that I am beginning this section on Ethics: staring at a blank screen:
I eagerly begin my first paper of my second graduate degree: the degree that will enable me to work in a place surrounded by books. Plus, for the first time in over ten years, I am the one writing the paper instead of the being the one attempting to coerce a roomful of teenagers to write an essay—a reason to be excited and grateful! I stare at the screen, waiting for inspiration to strike. . .
Basically, my last assignment is going just like my first one, and what did I do then to become inspired? I decided to research.
Therefore, I am starting with an expert source: the American Library Association. Their code of ethics was first established in 1939 and was last amended in 2008. I will list each principle in the ALA code of ethics as a guide to reflect upon my own philosophies, principles, and ethics of the library and information field.
I. 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 (American Library Association, 2020).
I have been working as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble since 2018 and as the 2020 holiday seasons fast approaches, I am aware of how important customer service is to the people who patronize our store. Customer service is even more important in libraries because libraries are hubs of the communities and should be equitable and available to everyone in a community, no matter their age, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic status.
However, treating people equitably is not something that happens without recognizing what implicit biases you might have. For my Serving Diverse Clients in Libraries class, I took several implicit bias tests. I was shocked (and horrified) by many of the implicit biases I hold. The bias tests and subsequent discussion in class (described here in my reflection paper) made me aware that in order to continue to treat customers and patrons equitably, I need to continue to recognize areas in which I hold biases and strive for improvement.
II. We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources (American Library Association, 2020).
Yes, I definitely believe in intellectual freedom and am against censorship regarding library resources, however--this has become a complicated issue for me!
First of all, not every library patron is well-versed in Information Literacy. In this world of fake news, it is very difficult to even maintain the impression libraries must always be neutral (a concept that I have rejected). And library patrons probably don't want to hear lessons in how to evaluate information (a topic I humorously discuss here). I am very worried about intellectual freedom in the future in today's divided culture. I believe strongly that librarians must fight for facts and truth and yet continue to support intellectual freedom and freedom of speech. These concepts are not as black and white as I thought they were before I studied them in library classes.
III. 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 (American Library Association, 2020).When does privacy become incompatible with safety and security? I would argue that a customer at Barnes & Noble should have his purchase history kept private--but what if there were a some kind of fraud issue later? I once had a customer at the store very angrily ask me, a cashier, to describe the "person her daughter was with" when she bought a Ouija board an hour before. I did not think that was an ethical thing to do so I referred the customer to a manager, who backed me up.
IV. We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders (American Library Association, 2020).
Similar to code number two, this is a principle that I agree with very much in theory--but I have not always behaved completely ethically. I definitely have not done anything that I consider very unethical; for example, I have not copied a book and sold it under my name, for example. I have not made copies of books and materials and given them to others to sell or use when they are supposed to be paid for in some way.
However, I was a teacher for fifteen years. We were often low on classroom materials, and therefore made photocopies, which is a copyright violation. We would show movies in our classrooms, which is also a copyright violation. My point is, sometimes teachers do not follow copyright laws, but should librarians turn them in and risk alienating a fellow professional who benefits greatly from library resources? Maybe I am not quite as ethical as I thought about this code because I would not turn in a teacher for slight copyright violations. Major ones--well, it would depend. Once again, this is more than just an issue of library ethics; it is also an issue of lack of supplies for teachers.
V. 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 (American Library Association, 2020).
VI. We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions (American Library Association, 2020).
VII. 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 (American Library Association, 2020).
I agree with all three of these codes as written, with the added caveat of libraries are not neutral (and a completely "neutral" attitude is a choice and does not mean fairness or equity).
VIII. We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of coworkers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession (American Library Association, 2020).I have completed several professional development activities in the past as a teacher and will continue to do so as a librarian. I enjoy furthering my education and improving my skills, and therefore, I agree completely with this code.
Ethics as discussed in the MLIS program
The following are a few other ethical dilemmas and questions that I want to highlight from my MLIS classes.
1. How much information, and in what forms, should be preserved?
Here is an excerpt from my answer (full document here):
The information learned from all newsworthy events should be preserved; it should be discussed, critically analyzed, and deconstructed from different points of view. The information should be used to make future decisions concerning building codes, environmental regulations, and weapon control and security. If the information gained after an event is not preserved, then how anyone learn from it? How can people grow and change to become a more educated, more logical, more compassionate society?
2. How do you, as a library management team, effectively give advice to a struggling coworker?
An excerpt from our team's memorandum to "Penny" is here:
Here are some suggestions for short-term changes that you might consider implementing immediately to help you lighten your load:
Create a daily list of tasks based on priorities so you can focus on the most important tasks of the day
Design, implement, and enforce a tech ticket system so that you can address technical problems in an easy and consistent way
Create a troubleshooting guide for staff to reduce their dependence on you
Schedule regular collaboration meetings with the head of the engineering library to discuss priorities, new technology, and the training schedule
Create a schedule for training that may include online trainings and/or others helping with the trainings; reduce the number of lunch-time trainings, and
Eat; schedule a routine time to consume at least one meal at work so your energy levels stay up.
3. How do you help patrons with information literacy?
An excerpt from my response is here:
My method of evaluating information before I share it on Facebook:
1. Think about it objectively.
2. Examine the headlines and website for bias.
3. Is it a Google-able event? Search for it, such as on Youtube.
4. Check reputable fact-checking websites.
5. Post a link or two debunking the stories. Be as objective and polite as possible. Being
insulting or rude will cause your audience to doubt your sources.. . . You may not change anyone’s mind, no matter how calmly and objectively you present your evidence. But you might cause someone observing to analyze information more critically in the future, which is undoubtedly a useful skill in this age of information.
4. Should libraries be neutral?
An excerpt from annotated bibliography is here:
Question: Collection development policies make sense, and so does weeding outdated materials. But neutrality--should libraries strive to be neutral?
Answer: It depends on what you mean by “neutral.” Some people equate neutral with “equal” or “fair” and somehow come up with equitable, like neutral somehow equals equitable—but I do not buy that. The following sources deal with neutrality in general and in libraries.
Ethics in the future
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| Librarian meme with text "Libraries: where shhhh happens" Source |
The most important part of ethics is to NOT become complacent. The world changes, and with those changes come more ethical dilemmas. Librarians cannot become the stereotype of an old, out-of-touch lady with spectacles and a bun, defending dusty tomes and SSSSHHHHH-ing all the patrons. They need to keep abreast of current issues in order to be personally ethical and run ethical libraries.
Return to Capstone, or click on other SLOs below:
1. Ethics
2. Research
3. Information Literacy
4. Communities
5. Professional Development
6. Technology
7. Marketing
8. Collaboration
Click on the picture to return to
Jen Reads the Rainbow
Jen Reads the Rainbow
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