Ethics, Values, and Foundational Principles of Library

¶ … ethics, values, and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom

The American Library Association has a long history during which it focused on devising and restructuring the Code of Ethics in order for it to be as effective as possible. Its first code of ethics was issued in 1939 and was revised on a series of occasions during recent years. The Association devised its version of the code of ethics in order to have both librarians and the masses in general better acquainted with ideas that are promoted while working as a librarian or as a professional associated with the library.

While the code of ethics provides a generalized account that librarians need to uphold when coming across certain situations, it is not intended to dictate conduct, as it can actually be interpreted and as it is meant to serve as a starting point from where librarians and individuals associated with the institution can focus on providing solutions to a particular situation.

The American Library Association code of ethics is primarily purposed to present all library users with access to the best services possible and to guide these individuals in order for them to experience a positive relationship during the time they spend trying to solve their problems through attending the library.

Although the institution values the role that librarians play as they connect with users, it emphasizes that librarians first need to focus on performing their role before attempting to involve their personal interests in their field of work. The American Library Association has, in numerous cases, distinguished between its employees' thinking and thinking that is characteristic to the profession they perform. Furthermore, the library's user is guaranteed the right to privacy and confidentiality concerning information that he or she accesses and that he or she provides the library with.

Intellectual freedom represents a key aspect of the American Library Association's code of ethics, considering that the institution has gone through great efforts throughout time with the purpose to prevent diverse influential bodies in the state from censoring information that is especially important for particular persons. Through time, there has been a great deal of efforts made with the purpose of preventing people from having access to certain information. This has influenced the library to acknowledge the role it plays and to fight in order to make information widely accessible, regardless of the bodies it harmed as a result of making this respective data public.