The Division of Library and Information Science prepares
graduate students for their responsibilities as practicing
librarians and information professionals. In their roles as
information specialists they significantly influence or control the
selection, organization, preservation and dissemination of
information in an increasingly global environment; therefore, their
professional conduct must be guided by the highest ethical
standards.
Information professionals hold with the values common to every
profession of courtesy, respect, and accuracy in all dealings with
their clients and users. The American Library Association's
Code of Ethics encourages the highest level of service to all
library users, with a strong commitment to intellectual freedom and
freedom of access to information. These freedoms include
physical and legal access to information, the right to privacy and
confidentiality, and the support of intellectual property
rights. Librarians and information professionals are
dedicated to providing access to current, complete, and accurate
information and to helping others determine the accuracy and
reliability of information sources. Continuing professional
development is considered an ethical imperative in order to remain
competent, current and anticipate future information needs.
Librarians and information professionals are acutely aware of
the increased need for attention to information ethics created by
the electronic environment. New information technologies
increase the kinds and amount of information available; affect the
ease, speed, and universality of access to information; and have
implications for intellectual property rights. Librarians and
information professionals agree that it is their responsibility to
keep abreast of these technologies and the issues they raise for
information ethics. This site was created to help information
professionals become aware of the variety of ethical issues they
will face and help them to develop their own ethical framework for
decision-making. It is not meant to be comprehensive.
Codes of Ethics
Articles
- Beghtol, Clare. "A Proposed Ethical Warrant for Global
Knowledge Representation and Organization Systems." Journal of
Documentation. 58.5 (2002): 507-532.
- Carbo, Toni, and Stephen Almagno. "Infomation ethics: The
duty, privilege and challenge of educating information
professionals." Library Trends. 49.3 (Winter 2001):
510-518.
- Dole, Wanda V., and Jitka M. Hurych. "Values for Librarians in
the Information Age." Journal of Information Ethics 10.2
(Fall 2001): 38-50.
- Samek, Toni. "Library ethics, rights, and values: provocative
commentary on the utility of library rhetoric." PNLA
Quarterly. 65.3 (Spring 2001): 15-17.
Books
- Alfino, Mark, and Linda Pierce. Information Ethics
for Librarians. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2002.
- Gorman, Michael. Our Enduring Values: Librarianship in the
21st Century. Chicago: American Library Association,
2000.
- Hauptman, Robert. Ethics and Librarianship.
Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2002.
Additional Websites