This document discusses the ethical dilemmas faced by reference librarians and their adherence to the American Library Association’s code of ethics. An online survey revealed that librarians encounter various ethical issues, with copyright and confidentiality being the most significant. The document also highlights the need for more training and support from colleagues and library leadership to navigate these dilemmas effectively.

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Ethical Issues in Reference: Challenges and Solutions
Lili Luo, Ph.D.
San José State University

2. School of Library & Information Science http://slisweb.sjsu.edu

3. School of Library & Information Science http://slisweb.sjsu.edu
•What kinds of ethical dilemmas do reference librarians encounter in the different venues of reference work?
•How do they uphold the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics (or other professional organizations’ code) and resolve the dilemmas?
•What are the ethical issues they consider most challenging in reference work?
•What kinds of training on ethics have they received?
•What kinds of support do they need to successfully adhere to a shared code of ethics, providing quality and uncompromised services?
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4. School of Library & Information Science http://slisweb.sjsu.edu
•An online survey sent to three listservs: LIBREF-L, ILI-L, and DIG-REF
•212 valid responses -- 80% work in an academic library, 16.9% in a public library, and 3.1% in a special library.
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Venue of Reference Work
% of respondents that encountered ethical dilemmas
At the reference desk
80.7%
Via telephone reference service
31.6%
Via email reference service
30.7%
During information literacy instruction
30.2%
Via chat reference service
27.8%
During reference collection development
21.2%
Via social media
9.9%
Interactions with colleagues at the library
4.2%
Via text reference service
3.3%
Individual interactions with library users outside of the reference area
3.3%
Non-reference collection development
2.4%
At the circulation desk
1.9%
Use of technical facilities such as computers and printers
1.9%
Other service areas such as coffee shop, exhibits, or during roving reference service
1.9%

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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Copyright
issues
Confidentiality
and privacy
issues
Intellectual
freedom and
censorship
issues
Issues about
equitable
access to
information
and service
Conflict of
interest
60.4%
59.4%
32.1%
29.2%
22.6%
Types of ethical dilemmas

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21.9%
42.0%
29.0%
7.1%
Very familiar
Moderately familiar
Slightly familiar
Not at all familiar
Librarians’ familiarity with ALA’s Code of Ethics

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58.0%
26.9%
25.9%
14.2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Consult my
supervisor/colleagues
and seek guidance
Apply my institution’s ethics policy
Apply the ALA’s Code of Ethics
Consult the published
literature to see how
similar situations are
resolved
How librarians handle ethical dilemmas

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•Explaining carefully to library users that their requests could not be fulfilled because of ethical reasons (e.g. licensing or copyright violation) without hurting their feelings, and helping them understand that it is not personal
•Conflicts between personal beliefs and institutional/professional policies
•Finding a balance between upholding ethical rules/policies and satisfying user needs, and between doing “what’s right” and “what’s practical”
•Respecting and balancing the viewpoints and interests of all parties involved in an ethical situation, and attempting to meet everyone’s needs
•Handling ethical grey areas – assessing a situation judicially, understanding the context, and making a reasonable judgment
•Dealing with difficult library users
•Recognizing ethical situations when they occur
•Librarians handling the same ethical situations consistently
•Remaining neutral and not getting personal in ethical situations
•Lack of administrative support in resolving ethical situations
•Teaching library users about ethical behavior
•Conflicting policies
•Issues related to fair use, information filtering and confidentiality
Challenges

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•more training
•support from colleagues (e.g. a collegial environment where colleagues consult each other when making decisions about ethical situations)
•support from library leadership (e.g. administrators stand behind staff and are open to discussions and questions)
•Clear and consistent ethics policies, and clear communication among library staff about the policies
•A written document of ethics policies that can be easily accessed.
Expected Support

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Questions? lili.luo@sjsu.edu @foxfish