Abstract

Most librarians believe that they are part of a profession that is service oriented, democratic and nonjudgmental. Implicit in these principles is a core of professional ethics, allowing librarians to make effective, informed choices in matters affecting the library, its patrons and staff.Many of the ethical dilemmas facing the profession are covered here through a series of case studies. The focus is on librarians' relationships with patrons, colleagues, organizations, resources and vendors. Such issues as parental consent, patrons' rights to privacy, union activities, library endorsements, censorship, and many others are covered. Each case study is followed by questions that highlight the particular ethical problem.