ALA Code of Ethics
Click the link above to view the American Library Association's Code of Ethics. The Code provides a list of ethical guidelines for library and information services professionals. Librarians are committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. They pride themselves on upholding those values. The Code gives a good outline of the conduct expected of a professional in the field and what a patron should expect from a library professional.
"We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources." I feel this is the most important point in the code. Intellectual freedom is a right in this country, protected by the first amendment. Librarians have a responsibility to uphold this right. It is inevitable that as a librarian you will have to deal with someone not liking an item in your library's collection. As stated in the Code, it is the librarian's job to make sure that the complaint is handled properly and courteously, while still ensuring that undue censorship does not take place.
Click the link above to view the American Library Association's Code of Ethics. The Code provides a list of ethical guidelines for library and information services professionals. Librarians are committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. They pride themselves on upholding those values. The Code gives a good outline of the conduct expected of a professional in the field and what a patron should expect from a library professional.
"We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources." I feel this is the most important point in the code. Intellectual freedom is a right in this country, protected by the first amendment. Librarians have a responsibility to uphold this right. It is inevitable that as a librarian you will have to deal with someone not liking an item in your library's collection. As stated in the Code, it is the librarian's job to make sure that the complaint is handled properly and courteously, while still ensuring that undue censorship does not take place.