Edili: Ethical dilemmas for librarians and other information workers: case studies

Overview of the previously registered case studies
The database contains 27 case studies

IDTitleKeywordsType of libraryType of activity
1 Use of filtering software Filtering software ; freedom of information ; protection of minors Public library Use
2 Armenian Genocide Armenians; equal treatment; freedom of expression; neutrality; pluralism; censorship Scientific library; city public library Cooperation with external partners; space allocation
3 Assisted Dying Neutrality ; assisted dying ; censorship Public library

Collection development

4 Use of RFID Data protection ; user’s point of view ; rationalisation ; RFID ; monitoring Public library

Academic library 		Use

Management
5 Instructions for bomb-making Protection of minors ; freedom of information ; leftism ; political violence; explosive devices; terrorism; censorship Public library

Use
6 Reviews in the catalogue Catalogue enrichment ; neutrality ; review Public library Development
7 Cultivation of cannabis Data protection ; drugs ; cannabis cultivation ; police investigations ; police access to user data Public library Management
8 Suicide Suicide ; responsibility ; censorship Public library Collection development
9 Anorexic girl Data protection ; protection of minors ; anorexia ; responsibility ; confidentiality Public library Use
10 Creationism Fundamentalism ; gift ; creationism ; neutrality ; sect Public library

Collection development
11 Piglet book Atheism ; child protection ; children′s books ; censorship Public library in a small town Collection development

Development
12 Sex tourism Development ; feminism ; misogyny; sexism; sex tourism; keywords Academic library Development
13 Customer or user? Library function ; educational mission; public service ; economisation ; New Public Management Public library Public relations

14 Bookbinding Bookbinding ; book cover ; courtesy ; corruption Academic library Management
15 Animal rights Equal treatment ; hunting ; neutrality ; animal rights activists Public library Use
16 Negro king Children′s books ; political correctness ; racism ; text authenticity Public library Collection development
17 Homework exchange Fraud ; filtering software ; homework exchange ; internet access ; obtaining grades by fraud ; plagiarism Academic library Use
18 Bestseller service Bestseller service ; range of services ; fees ; cost of freedom ; professionalism ; social commitment Public library Use
19 Gay parents Homosexuality ; child protection; children′s books ; gay parents ; censorship Public library Use

20 Burka wearing Acceptable use policy ; misogyny ; clothing ; cultural diversity ; religion Public library

Academic library 		Use
21 Smell of urine Harassment ; damage ; equal treatment ; smells ; media ; smell of urine Public library

Academic library 		Use
22 Transvestite Harassment ; transvestite Public library

Academic library 		Use
23 Guttenberg Development ; Guttenberg ; plagiarism ; tradition Academic library Development
24 Activities on first day of school Enrolment ; corruption ; promotion of reading ; neutrality ; sponsorship Public library Public relations

Management
25 Indexing term foreign infiltration Development ; neutrality ; indexing Public library

Academic library 		Development
26 Author reading Author reading ; blackmail ; political pressure ; quality Public library

District library 		Space allocation
27 Homophobia Exhibition ; homophobia ; homosexuality ; caricature ; artistic freedom ; freedom of expression ; censorship City public library Use

case study 11: Piglet book
Case description:The children′s section of your library includes the picture book: Which way to God? asked the little piglet. A book for those who do not want to be fooled.

The mayor′s office contacts you to say that the mayor would like you to remove the title from the collection. There had been complaints from the public that funds raised from taxation were spent on such child- and youth-endangering mischief.

You deal in detail with the case and find that the book ′s author is CEO of Giordano Bruno Foundation, which is committed to a culture of humanism and the Enlightenment and is generally critical of religion. The book, which is critical of religion, was apparently supported by the Bruno Foundation. The book is about a little piglet and a hedgehog who, in search of God, turn to a bishop, a rabbi and a mufti. They come to the conclusion that God only wants to create fear and declare: "Those who know God have something missing. Namely up here."

In December 2007, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth applied to the Federal Department for Media to have the children′s book classified as harmful to minors. It justified this step on the grounds that the book is likely to disorient children and young people in a social-ethical way. The application was rejected on 6 March 2008.

The case has had lively coverage in the media. Although the book was criticised for its lack of quality, the application was unanimously rejected. How should one proceed in this particular case?

Potential solution 1:You follow the instructions of the mayor. After all, he is your supervisor. Although you have a bad feeling about it, you do not want to receive a reprimand, and certainly do not want to put your job in danger. The absence of this one book will not affect the pluralistic and well-balanced structure of your collection.

Assessment :
  • This is clearly a case of censorship.
  • You do not spoil your relationship with the Mayor: that could be of benefit to the library (budget allocation, job scheduling ...).
  • Now that a precedent has been created, such cases may be repeated.
  • The youth-endangering effect of the book has been rejected by the Federal Review Board.
Potential solution 2:You reject the demand of the mayor and refer to the decision by the Federal Review Board. In addition, you name other public libraries that also have this book.

Assessment :
  • A clear request for censorship was rejected.
    See D 1.3; D 2 1
  • You should expect increasing pressure from the mayor, such as a reprimand or threat of dismissal.
  • You have not established a precedent; this makes other attempts at censorship less likely.
  • Although you have resisted the pressure, in the future the mayor will hardly show good will and might retaliate in upcoming budget discussions and job scheduling, etc.
Potential solution 3:You ask the mayor for a meeting and explain the situation to him. Your supervisor offers insight. Together you agree to keep the book in the library, but to remove it from the children′s section, and to place it in the adult section.

Assessment :
  • Complete removal of the book is prevented.
  • The move of the picture book, which is clearly intended for children, to the adult section is a form of censorship: it makes access for the actual target group difficult.
  • The mayor has experienced in conversation that you are willing to negotiate and appreciates your courtesy. This could be of use to the library in future budget negotiations and personnel matters.
Potential solution 4:
References to values:
Values: Professional ethics in Germany:		D 1.3 Access to information
"We give our customers access to our holdings and to publicly available information resources."

D 1.7 Protection of minors
"We work on the basis of the Youth Protection Act and other statutory regulations for the protection of children and young people from content that is not suitable for them.”

D 2.1 Freedom of expression, freedom of information, freedom from censorship:
"We support freedom of expression and the free flow of information; libraries and information facilities should guarantee unimpeded access to information resources of all kinds in our democratic society. We reject censorship ".

References to values:
Values: International professional ethics (IFLA):		I 1.1 Access to information / freedom of information
“The core mission of librarians and other information workers is to ensure access to information for all for personal development, education, cultural enrichment, leisure, economic activity and informed participation in and enhancement of democracy.”

I 1.2 Freedom from censorship:
“Librarians and other information workers reject the denial and restriction of access to information and ideas most particularly through censorship whether by states, governments, or religious or civil society institutions.”

I 2.7 Protection of minors
“Librarians and other information workers respect the protection of minors while ensuring this does not impact on the information rights of adults.”

Further values:Moral courage
References:Ferkel auf dem Index. Deutsches Familienministerium will antireligiöses Kinderbuch verbieten. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 2 February 2008.
http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/feuilleton/uebersicht/ferkel-auf-den-index-1.664060 (10.6.13)

Free, Jan: Gottlose Tiere. In: Zeit online. 13.3.08.
http://www.zeit.de/online/2008/06/kinderbuch-religion/komplettansicht (10.6.13)

Rettet das kleine Ferkel.
http://www.ferkelbuch.de (10.6.13)

Wo bitte geht′s zu Gott? fragte das kleine Ferkel. In: Wikipedia.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferkelbuch (10.6.13)

Metadata:
Title:Piglet book
KeywordsAtheism ; child protection ; children′s books ; censorship
ClassificationCollection development : religion

Development : shelving

Use : protection of minors
Type of libraryPublic library in a small town
Place:Small town in a rural area
Type of activityCollection development

Development
References to valuesSee Case study 19 – Gay parents
Author:Hermann Rösch


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