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 13: Customer or user?
Case description:A member of the Free Voters Federation complained in a letter to the local press about the antiquity of the city library. He found that the library regulations still referred to "users" rather than customers. It is a long time since the city administration was modernised along the principles of New Public Management. Why cannot the city library use modern management techniques and thereby make it clear that it regards its readers and users as customers and treats them accordingly?

The press will ask you, as head librarian, for an opinion.

Potential solution 1:You use this as an opportunity to confirm that the modernisation of the library was planned long ago and will now be implemented immediately. In this context, the outdated regulations will be completely revised.

Assessment :
  • The image of the library will be more modern.
  • Services to users are enhanced.
  • The role of the library as part of the state is in the background.
Potential solution 2:You thank the letter writer for his interest. At the same time, you point out that libraries are not participants in the market, since they could not cover their costs, but are part of the services provided by the state. This is their educational mission. For this reason, it is not appropriate to refer to library users as customers.

In addition, the user is in a much better position than the customer because the latter is not protected by the state but is at the mercy of the market. For these reasons, radical market demands for the economisation of libraries must be clearly rejected. Of course this does not rule out libraries striving to provide the most effective and efficient user-oriented services and to treat their clients with the greatest possible friendliness. The library will therefore continue to refer to users rather than customers.

Assessment :
  • The opportunity to use the modern term customer is not used.
  • Neoliberal ideology and radical market economisation are rejected.
  • The mission of the library as part of state provision is underlined.
Potential solution 3:
Potential solution 4:
References to values:
Values: Professional ethics in Germany:
References to values:
Values: International professional ethics (IFLA):		I 1.3 Cost free services:
"Librarians and other information workers offering services to the public should make every endeavour to offer access to their collections and services free of cost to the user."

Further values:Market freedom; modernity; social responsibility

References:Kluth, Pia: Perfekt versteckt : Ressourcenverschwendung in wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken. Saarbrücken : VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, 2007, pp. 32-36.

Döhmer, Klaus: Benutzer versus Kunde. In: Bürgerrechte und Bibliotheken : die Aushöhlung des freien Zugangs zu Information und Bildung durch die Ökonomisierung unserer Gesellschaft. Ed. Norbert Cobabus. Nümbrecht 2004, pp 22-27.

Pehlke, Rainer: Total Quality Management für Bibliotheken? / Ein Management-Modell auf dem Prüfstand. In: BuB. 54, 2002, 7/8, pp. 492-497.

Metadata:
Title:Customer or user?
KeywordsLibrary function ; educational mission; public service ; economisation ; New Public Management
ClassificationManagement : market-compliant methods
Type of libraryPublic library
Place:Germany
Type of activityPublic relations

References to values
Author:Hermann Rösch


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