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 7: Cultivation of cannabis
Case description:The police contact the library. When a ring of drug dealers was broken up, a house search showed that one of the people involved was a user of the local public library. The person had apparently grown cannabis on a large scale and distributed it commercially. The police found several works about the growing of cannabis, which the suspect had apparently borrowed from the library or obtained via the interlibrary loan system. Examples included Marijuana Growersf Handbook and Fundamentals of Cultivation: The practical guide for cannabis lovers.

The police now want to know what other works the user has borrowed and demand access to the userfs account, as well as lending data for the last six months.

Potential solution 1:Citing professional ethics you refuse to release the user data. There is a fundamental obligation to maintain discretion and confidentiality for all users. A breach of this principle will substantially undermine the relationship of trust between users and the library.

Assessment :
  • You uphold the principle of data protection.
    See I 3.1; I 3.2
  • You may face a charge of obstruction of official investigations.
  • Economies of scale are retained.
    See D 1.2; I 5.6
Potential solution 2:You comply with police demands, put together the data about the suspectfs library use and pass it to the police.

Assessment :
  • You violate the principle of data protection.
  • You fulfil your duty to contribute to the investigation of a crime.
    See D 1.8
Potential solution 3:You reject the publication of user data at the present time. You will only agree to publication, when the police have obtained a court order for such publication.

Assessment :
  • You violate the principle of data protection.
  • The violation of privacy is limited to an exceptional case. The investigating judge has examined the case and determined that the publication of the data on the investigation of a specific offence is mandatory.
  • You fulfil your duty to contribute to the investigation of a crime.
    See D 1.8
Potential solution 4:
References to values:
Values: Professional ethics in Germany:		D 1.8 Data protection:
"We respect our clientsŒ privacy. Personal data will be saved only to ensure service delivery and only within the legal framework. We will share personal data with other institutions only as required by law."

References to values:
Values: International professional ethics (IFLA):		I 3.1 Data protection:
gLibrarians and other information workers respect personal privacy, and the protection of personal data, necessarily shared between individuals and institutions.h

I 3.2 Confidentiality:
"The relationship between the library and the user is one of confidentiality and librarians and other information workers will take appropriate measures to ensure that user data is not shared beyond the original transaction."

Further values:
References:
Metadata:
Title:Cultivation of cannabis
KeywordsData protection ; drugs ; cannabis cultivation ; police investigations ; police access to user data
ClassificationData protection : disclosure of user data
Type of libraryPublic library
Place:Germany
Type of activityManagement
References to values
Author:Hermann Rösch


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