LIS 601Reference Ethics

Spring 2013

Dr. Diane Nahl

University of Hawaii

Library and Information Science Program

Published Ethical Standards

for Reference ServiceBehavioral Reference Standards [Handout pp. 20-27]

Professional Competencies [pp. 28-39]

Ethical Guidelines [pp. 46-50]

Codes for specializations [Ch. 18 pp. 372-73]

ALA Library Bill of Rights [Ch. 18 pp. 376-77]

ALA Code of Ethics [pp. 49-50; Ch. 18 p. 372]

Ch. 18 in Cassell & Hiremath, 2012, Reference & Information Services: An Introduction, 3rd ed., Neal Schuman.

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Ethical Principles of Reference Librarianship

Service Ethics

Equitable Access

Confidentiality

Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual Freedom

Cassell & Hiremath, Ch. 18, “Ethics in Reference.” pp.371-386, 2012.Nahl LIS 601 2013 3

Ethics in Reference Work

Service-orientation Commitment to answering reader queries Persistence and professionalism in seeking answers to reader

queries

Subject & collection specialist

Online search intermediary

Instruction librarian

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User experience designer

Instructional designer

Liaison to departments

Ethical Principles of Reference Librarianship

Service EthicsUpdated Knowledge BaseCollaboration within and across institutionsEquitable Access to Information Information Literacy InstructionOutreachEvaluation and Assessment

ConfidentialityRights to privacy

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Ethical Principles of Reference Librarianship

Copyright and IP RightsPublic DomainFirst Sale DoctrineFair UseOpen AccessCreative CommonsDigital Rights Management

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Ethical Principles of Reference Librarianship

Intellectual FreedomCensorshipCultural Studies

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Concentric Spheres of Ethical Conduct

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Concentric Spheres of Ethical Conduct

Individual LevelTreat each person ethically

Organizational LevelAct in accord with the mission and goals of the organization

Professional LevelPromote established standards of professional conduct

Societal LevelServe the best interests of society as a whole

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Student Conduct CodesProfessional Expectations: http://www.hawaii.edu/lis/students.php?page=profexp

Student Conduct Codes:

http://studentaffairs.manoa.hawaii.edu/policies/conduct_code/

http://studentaffairs.manoa.hawaii.edu/policies/conduct_code/proscribed_conduct.php

IV.B.1 Academic Dishonesty

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Ethics in Action in Reference Work

Library users have a right to access information

Library users have a right to excellent reference and information service

Library users have a right to privacy in their information access

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Ethics in Reference Queries

Legal information

Medical information

Financial information

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Avoiding an Ethical Breach

Be circumspect at public reference desks

Be approachable and interested

Listen carefully and ask probing questions

Avoid bias

Keep current in your specialty

Refer questions only if you know it will work (call ahead)

Provide sources, not interpretation

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Avoiding an Ethical Breach

Check several sources

Show how to evaluate sources

Provide current, accurate sources

Don’t withhold information

Give advice about search strategy and merits of sources

Use tact and discretion

Follow-up

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Ethical Standards for Remote Reference

FormatsTelephone, FAX, Email, IM, Live Chat, Blog,

Virtual WorldGive only factual information

Identify sources with complete citation and call number or URL or SLURL

Read or type brief information verbatim

Provide transcript of text chat session or email thread

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Ethical Dilemma Exercise 1:

How do you respond as the reference librarian?

A caller who sounds like an adult asks for information on making the street drug ‘ice’ or ethyl-methamphetamine.

Discuss and create a reference librarian response with justifications that follow the Code of Ethics (pp. 49-50 Handouts). Cite relevant Code numbers.

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Ethical Dilemma Exercise 2:

How do you respond as the reference librarian?

At a public library, a high school student asks for the book Final Exit [on methods of suicide].

Discuss and create a reference librarian response with justifications that follow the Code of Ethics (pp. 49-50 Handouts). Cite relevant Code numbers.

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Ethical Dilemma Exercise 3:

How do you respond as the reference librarian?

At a college library, a librarian notes that a student downloads a term paper, and later his instructor mentions to the librarian she fears the student’s paper may be plagiarized and asks how to check.

Discuss and create a reference librarian response with justifications that follow the Code of Ethics (pp. 49-50 Handouts). Cite relevant Code numbers. Are there relevant codes of conduct besides ALA?

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