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 8: Suicide
Case description:The collection of a library includes such titles as "Instructions to commit suicide", which was first published in 1982, and "Discourse on suicide", which in 2012 was in its 14th edition. The leader of a neighbouring clinic specialising in psychosomatic disorders asked the library to remove these and similar works from the stock because the clinicŒs patients could be tempted to commit suicide.

Potential solution 1:You refuse to remove the works from the stock, but – in a spirit of give and take – you remove the titles from open access. In future, there will be an obstacle to overcome before the titles may be ordered.

Assessment :
  • Removing the volumes from open access is a mild form of censorship, as placement of material may promote or impede its use.
  • Total censorship, i.e. removal from stock, is avoided.
    See D 2.1. I 1.2
  • Patients from the clinic who want to order the above volumes can continue to do so.
Potential solution 2:You comply with the request of the head of the clinic, and remove the two volumes from the stock. The title records are deleted from the catalogue.

Assessment :
  • Removal of the volumes from the stock is a clear act of censorship against the other library users. The latter can no longer have access to these books in your library, because a few people are being protected from them.
  • Clinic patients who are at risk now have no access to the said volumes in the public library.
Potential solution 3:You refuse to remove the two aforementioned titles from the stock. You argue it is not responsible to deprive the entire readership of the titles because they should not be in the hands of a few people. Libraries are places of freedom of access to information and freedom from censorship.

Assessment :
  • The principles of freedom of access and freedom from censorship are respected.
    See D 2.1; I 1.1. I 1.2
  • The vulnerable patients continue to have access to the above volumes in the public library near the clinic.
Potential solution 4:
References to values:
Values: Professional ethics in Germany:		D 2.1 Freedom from censorship:
gWe reject censorship of content."

References to values:
Values: International professional ethics (IFLA):		I 1.1 Access to information
gThe 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.h

I 1.2 Freedom from censorship
gLibrarians 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.h

Further values:
References:Juznic, Primoz, Jose Urbanija, Edvard Grabrijan, Stasa Miklavc, Damijana Oslaj, Sonja Svoljsak: Excuse me, how do I commit suicide? Access to ethically disputed items of information in public libraries. In: Library Management. 22, 2001, 1/2, pp. 75-79.

Rösch, Hermann: Weltweites Engagement gegen Zensur und ideologische Bevormundung : Das IFLA-Komitee "Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression" (FAIFE) . In: BuB. 65, 2013, 4, pp. 280-284. Here p. 284.

Metadata:
Title:Suicide
KeywordsSuicide ; responsibility ; censorship
ClassificationCollection development : current controversial topics
Type of libraryPublic library
Place:City
Type of activityCollection development
References to values
Author:Hermann Rösch


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