Collect a range of examples from the Internet and journals of when professional librarian ethics are compromised. Use the NZ Code of Professional Conduct to relate them to similar possible issues that could occur at the National Library of New Zealand.
Frame these examples in everyday terms showing how easy it is to “cross the ethical line” and offer a fillip to the current thinking and perspectives of colleagues within the Content Services library group of the National Library of New Zealand.
BOK 1 - Info Environment, Policy, Ethics & History.
Frame these examples in everyday terms showing how easy it is to “cross the ethical line” and offer a fillip to the current thinking and perspectives of colleagues within the Content Services library group of the National Library of New Zealand.
BOK 1 - Info Environment, Policy, Ethics & History.
LIANZA Code of Professional Conduct
According to the LIANZA Code of Professional Conduct found on the IFLA website (http://archive.ifla.org/faife/ethics/nzcode.htm):
Librarians have a primary duty to their clients and to society:
a) to assist in the collection, preservation and availability of recorded and transmitted knowledge and ideas.
b) to facilitate the flow of information and ideas.
Librarians' actions and decisions should be based firmly on sound professional practice.
In the service of clients or in the selection of materials, librarians should not discriminate on the grounds of socio-economic status, politics, race, colour, creed, gender or sexual orientation.
Any information about identified clients and their individual interests obtained by librarians in the course of their professional duties is privileged and should not be used for any purpose other than that for which it was obtained without the express permission of those clients or unless required by law. This obligation continues after the relationship ceases.
Librarians must endeavour to maintain the highest level of competence and have an obligation to keep abreast of new developments and applications in their particular areas of professional activity.
Librarians without first disclosing their interest should not profit from their positions save by normal remuneration nor should they have any financial interest in goods or services recommended or supplied without first disclosing that interest.
Librarians have an obligation to formulate policies on library service, to argue their adoption, and to carry them out to the best of their abilities.
Examples of when professional librarian ethics are compromised
Identification of false and fabricated papers
In 'Research misconduct: issues, implications, and strategies' (Altman and Hernon, 1997, p. 122) they suggest that librarians should be alerting patrons to works that have been detected and announced as false or fabricated.
Fraud
Herbert Snyder in his book 'Small change, big problems' (2006) looks at the different ways fraud can be perpetuated within libraries.
- Stealing cash (p.46)
- In 1999 an account clerk stole almost $130,000 over 20 years by pocketing every $20 bill in the library's cash register.
- Stealing money through billings (p.58)
- At the Millersville Public Library more money than allocated had apparently been spent on ground maintenence and had been invoiced to an unheard of business. The employee who was prosecuted for the fraud left town.
- Stealing money from payroll (p.69)
- The branch manager of the Chippewa Trails library system was convicted of payroll fraud after running a ghost employee scheme where she pocketed the paychecks of a made up employee.
- Stealing money through expense reimbursement (p.77)
- A director of a medium-sized public library was able to claim for reimbursement of lodging from both her employer and the professional organisation that required her to travel so much.
- Stealing inventory (p.91)
- The former head librarian of Edgerton Public Library was arrested and charged with the theft of library materials including books, videotapes, and CDs.
Possible issues that could occur at the National Library of New Zealand
Identification of false and fabricated papers
In this example it would be easy enough for a librarian to make the assumption that because a particular paper has been published in a particular journal renown for its high standards, that the paper would be legitimate. They would assume that because of this there would be no need for them to check its authenticity and even if the thought crossed their mind to do so, the time expected to take to investigate may not be warranted.
And yet what if that particular customer used that particular paper in a piece of work they had subsequently published? And what it they followed a similar set of assumptions that the librarian followed - that because they received this paper through the auspices of the National Library (who must know what they're doing) that it would be authentic? Lessons would be learned but they would be learned the hard way - if only both parties had taken the time and bothered to check the legitimacy of the paper concerned!
In terms of the Code of Conduct this example would fall under the following areas:
- Librarians' actions and decisions should be based firmly on sound professional practice.
- Librarians must endeavour to maintain the highest level of competence and have an obligation to keep abreast of new developments and applications in their particular areas of professional activity.
- Librarians have an obligation to formulate policies on library service, to argue their adoption, and to carry them out to the best of their abilities.
Fraud
In these examples, because the National Library of New Zealand is a government-funded institution and as such is required to account for its annual spending (even the Chief Executive is required to publish an account of their spending), one would assume that the opportunity to steal cash (e.g., working on the cash till in the soon to be opened 'gift shop' in the newly renovated library), to steal money through billings (e.g., billing a non-existent service provider within the library i.e., caterer), to steal money from payroll (e.g., under the name of a ficticious employee known only to the payroll accountant), to steal money through expense reimbursement (e.g., claiming for more kilometre's travelled that actually taken), or to steal inventory (e.g., items of stationary or publications surplus to requirements) would be limited by the auditing processes set in place, maintained and regularly followed whether they be balances, checks on expense claims through evidence of receipts, or stock takes. Reading Snyder's book it was evident that these sorts of issues arose in libraries where such procedures were lax or even non-existent
Still, human nature being the way it is, if someone sees an opportunity where such systems have shown to be relaxed, there is always the chance for such fraudulent practices to occur. Who hasn't taken an item of stationary home at least once?
In terms of the Code of Conduct this example would fall under the following areas:
- Librarians' actions and decisions should be based firmly on sound professional practice.
- Librarians without first disclosing their interest should not profit from their positions save by normal remuneration nor should they have any financial interest in goods or services recommended or supplied without first disclosing that interest.
