#Sjsu ischool competencies how to#
#Sjsu ischool competencies code#
#Sjsu ischool competencies professional#

#Sjsu ischool competencies how to#

When in doubt, Wilkinson believes principlism is the key to determining how to carry out these situations best. While her investigation is an initial questioning of how ethics may clash with access and service, it complements the idea that McMullen presents in holding training and discussion that presents applicable situations to a library based on the surrounding community, and can focus librarians and library staff on how to properly handle these situations. Her discussion begs the question that sometimes policy can even bar intellectual freedom and possibly the very purpose of libraries to certain users, which empowers a sense of plutocracy in the community that prioritizes comfortability over service and access. While policy can dictate the banning of patrons suffering from homelessness because of any number of issues including odor problems, sleeping in the facility or bathing in the bathroom, the banning clashes with overall ideals including the ethics set forth by libraries to serve any and all (2015). Bardoff discusses how this can clash in her analysis of homelessness as it enters the library. Focusing on proper service with respect to patrons guarantees that intellectual freedom is not abandoned either, as it is a core part of ethics. In regards to McMullen’s work, libraries should be cognizant of the effects their service have on patrons and carry out open discussion and training to ensure that ethics are never abandoned. Overall, McMullen demonstrates that specified ethics within the scope of unique workplaces and the questions that may surround that workplace should all be focused upon through training and individual staff consideration.

#Sjsu ischool competencies professional#

Even the American Association of Law Libraries maintains their own set of ethics that can guide law librarians on “business partnerships and professional responsibility” (2015). For instance, the American Association of School Librarians has guidelines for activities that can help teach students to be future, ethical users of libraries and research, while the Medical Library Association presents guidelines on decision making related to medical issues, health care and more (2015).

She stresses this by exemplifying the many examples of institutions within the scope of the ALA that maintain their own set of ethics codes beyond just what the ALA provided in 2008. McMullen excellently discusses the prominence of ethics in librarianship, stressing that ethics guide and power service (2015). Librarians should strive to provide for any customer that arrives, taking necessary steps to figure out the need of the patron and carry out any actions that may accurately quell said need. For example, if a subset of the population is LGBTQ+, there should be a collection of nonfiction, fiction, film and more materials that accurately and respectfully reflect and appeal to that community.īeyond just the physical collection, however, is the actions librarians take to uphold the ethics that librarianship is built upon in terms of serving the community and patrons that visit. The collection of a public library should reflect the audience that it serves, maintaining a variety of resources suitable to any and every group.

#Sjsu ischool competencies code#

Inherent in the code is the understanding that such dedication to respect and equitable services applies to the inclusion of a diversity of materials. Avoidance of censorship, upholding of privacy, dedication to respect, separation of personal opinion from professional dealings and a motivation to constantly improve and learn are all centerpieces to keeping ethical service a norm. As such, librarians and information professionals alike are obligated to demonstrate ethics that reflect the provision of accessibility and freedom of information as supported by the American Library Association (ALA), which reinforces this with a published Code of Ethics to guide user service and information professionalism for ALA members, but serves as a testament to the commitment of all library and information service professionals (2008).īehind these codes stand the intent of providing equitable service via “organized resources”, equitable policies that provide framework for service and honest effort and answers to any questions that are posed to staff.

Because of this, libraries are simultaneously cornerstones to maintaining intellectual freedom.

This accessibility to information is limitless in its scope which provides a foundation for users to partake and grow. Libraries are an instrumental part of maintaining democratic principles within society because they are physical hubs of aggregated information accessible to all users, regardless of age, race, creed, color or economic status. Demonstrate awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of one of the information professions, and discuss the importance of intellectual freedom within that profession.