Philosophy, Principles, and Ethics

SLO1.
The student assesses the philosophy, principles, and ethics of the library and information field.

Philosophy, Principles, Ethics

     Everyone has ethics, principles, and philosophies, however, whether or not they are clearly defined is another matter. They determine how we work and lead and serve. They are the influence in our personal and professional lives, making them an important part of our librarianship career. But what are they exactly?

     Ethics can be defined as morals – what is and is not acceptable to do in a given situation.  They “can be construed as theorizing about the proper regulating mechanisms for our behavior” (Pearson). In other words, they make sure we behave like responsible, respectable adults. They can be formed by our religion, family, education, and society. These are the things we view as appropriate and right.

     This leads to the principles that steer our judgement. “Professional values form the basis for the principles that are included in a code of ethics… The ethical decision is what should be done (the best action), given the competing interests, obligations, and values of others involved in making the decision. This criterion requires the professional to consider values that are beyond the personal and to take into account the values and perspectives of others who are involved” (Flite & Harman, 2013). Principles give us a standard of conduct to ensure we succeed. These are the parameters keeping us honest, hard-working, and fair.

     Ultimately, it’s your ethics and principles that form your philosophy. This is your belief system, your way of life. It is the collection of ideas, values, and ethics that guide your decision-making, big or small. “One function of philosophy, then, is to critically examine basic concepts and ideas, and their wider implications for everyday life. By providing us with the analytical framework to examine ideas and competing claims, philosophy allows us to see if they are valid and justified” (Pearson). They help us decide what is important and what is not, what fits into our goals and what does not.

     Knowing your personal philosophy in life or career, keeps you headed toward your goals and being the type of person you want to be. When you have clearly set philosophies, principles, and ethics, then you have an unmistakably defined basis for making decisions. Your work and leadership will remain consistent and dependable.

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Guiding Practices for Librarianship

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      Librarians are information providers. Communities depend on libraries to provide as much information on as many subjects as possible. There are too many times to count when the library is a patron’s only source for such information. Librarianship carries with it a rather weighty responsibility, therefore having clearly defined philosophy to guide you is important.  

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      Providing information is so much more than books or catalogues. It is a means to offer opportunity to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world, beyond that of their community. One of the first ideas of librarianship MLIS students are exposed to are the Five Laws of the Library. In 1931, Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan published his laws as follows:

1.     Books are for use.

2.     Every reader should be served his / her book.

3.     Every book should be helped to find its reader.

4.     Save the time of the reader.

5.     A library is a growing organism.

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     Nearly 90 years later and these five principles still apply, though in an evolved way. Impacts such as socio-economics and modern technology play such a large role in how information is created, curated, and found. 

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     “Ranganathan’s laws remain an important part of the foundation of library science today, and their application is essential in the design and delivery of appropriate library services. The pace and nature of the adaptation of the laws are bound to change with the emergence of newer library service models, in tandem with technological and socio-economic advancements in society” (Underwood, 2010). In fact, Library 2.0 principles readily advocate the concept of empowering users to help themselves – teaching patrons information literacy. “Scholars have proposed that the most important role of modern librarians entails building the capacity of the users to self-serve” (Underwood, 2010).

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     No one set of rules can fully cover the many situations librarians will find themselves in over the course of a day, much less a career. That does not keep library institutions from doing their best to provide guidance to their constituents. Certainly, two of the largest of such groups – the American Library Association (ALA) and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) – have offered their direction.

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     ALA’s Code of Ethics includes offering “the highest level of service to all library users” while remaining true to intellectual property rights. It also stresses the importance of user engagement with resources and information, privacy, and respect. 

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     IFLA, who has a much wider and international base, offers its Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers in both a full-length and short version. IFLA’s list puts much more stress on encouraging reflection and self-awareness in librarians. Encouraging librarians to be mindful of personal preferences and how they can impact the information access of patrons. Personal bias must be pushed aside, regardless of how one justifies it (i.e. political, religious, etc.).

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     The top priority of IFLA’s code is free access. A quick overview shows “The core mission of librarians and other information workers is to ensure access to information … librarians and other information workers reject censorship in all its forms… enhance access for all… provide the best possible access for library users to information and ideas in any media or format… strictly committed to neutrality and an unbiased stance regarding collection, access and service.” 

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     ALA has also published the Library Bill of Rights and its accompanying Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights. This bill goes beyond just access to information and delves into access of the library itself. While still stressing challenging censorship, the Library Bill of Rights also makes it clear that all people groups are free to access the building and its resources. Everyone within the library’s community has the right to exhibit spaces and meeting rooms in an equal and equitable manner.

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     There are also federal regulations to abide. Libraries must comply with the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure equitable access to patrons with all types of disabilities. There are also concerns of balancing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), while also protecting privacy. Even the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) can cause concern when it is difficult to limit the web searches of minors without restricting the access of more mature users.

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Ethics in Research

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     When I first started the Institutional Review Board certification, I have to admit I was wondering what it had to do with us as MLIS students. It seemed so directly geared toward bio-medical researchers. The further  I progressed through, however, I saw a definite correlation between that certification and research I may find myself doing in the future, especially if I stay within academic libraries. There is so much to consider when researching on or in relation to humans and impacts that exist far beyond the physical.

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     As someone commented during the class discussion surrounding IRB, not only is it important information for us as possible future researchers, but also as reference librarians assisting faculty, staff, and students in their research. I had not considered that aspect.

     It was a lot of information to take in. While I feel much more knowledgeable on the subject and understand different ideas and terminologies, I do not feel as though I could run right out and start conducting research without reviewing and re-referencing. That said, I would now know what to look for and have an idea of what types of research require review and are under federal regulations. 

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     There is another side to ethics in research when it comes to reference work. There are many times when a patron wants you to do the work for them and tell them the answer. In cases where the patrons are students, this leads to the ethical dilemma of "cheating" by doing work for them. It is important to keep reference visits instructional and allow the students to drive while you guide. In cases where patrons are seeking health or legal information and/or advice, it is again important to keep reference focused on finding the resources and allowing them to come to their own conclusions. Giving out advice on how to handle medical and legal problems is a liability for you and the library.

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Guidance for Archives

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     When studying ethics in archives, we looked at an ethical dilemma that demonstrated how the guiding principles of archives is much broader than the archivists personal ideals or the institutions. It includes laws on the federal, state, and local levels, as well as an obligation of accountability. Not just of the archivist to the collection, donors, repository, and community, but to society as a whole, particularly where the government is concerned.      

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     For any cultural heritage institution, there is a fine line to walk when it comes to the rights of access of information and the right of personal privacy. The Society of American Archivists (SAA) says the purpose of archivists is to “select, preserve, and make available primary sources that document the activities of institutions, communities, and individuals. These archival sources can be used for many purposes, including providing legal and administrative evidence, protecting the rights of individuals and organizations…” This leaves archivists with a deep social responsibility to be good stewards of the cultural and historical information of its communities.

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     A large part of that stewardship is providing access to collections. Archivists must seek to support and promote access of materials in the broadest way possible, while complying with any mandatory restrictions. These restrictions may take the form of “public statute, donor contract, business/institutional privacy, or personal privacy… In all questions of access, archivists seek practical solutions that balance competing principles and interests” (SAA).

Ultimately, properly handling ethical dilemmas will require the archivist to lean heavily on firmly established guidelines. Those set forth in state and federal laws, the SAA Core Values Statement and Code of Ethics, and the parent institution’s guidelines. To do that, the archivist must familiarize themselves with them and be comfortable implementing them.

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      Archives must also consider whether or not their collections are truly representative of the people they claim to represent. For example, if it is a county museum and archive, the collections therein should represent everyone within the town, not just select groups. Due to the history of institutional organizations and certain people groups, this can require building trust within the community between the under-served and the archives itself. 

     On the reverse side, archives of indigenous peoples should not only represent them, but respect them. Just because an institution owns something, does not mean it is ethical to make it available to the general public. Items should be bound by the cultural and spiritual beliefs of the people they belong to. A great example of doing this the right way would be Sipnuuk . This digital cultural heritage institution for the Karuk Tribe sought to “restore Karuk People as the rightful authorities over our cultural materials and traditional knowledge” (Karuk et al., 2017 ). Decolonization is very relevant to many institutions of long standing. It is worth reviewing institutional collections to ensure there are not items within that should be returned to their places/owners of origins.

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Concluding Thoughts

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     To truly succeed in librarianship, it comes down to setting yourself aside and working for the good of the people. Librarians must ensure information is available and accessible to all users, in a safe and responsible way. They must also encourage user engagement with information to develop information literacy within users. On the surface, librarianship seems so serene. Upon closer inspection, it is actually quite the balancing act.

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