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A Handbook of Ethical Practice: A practical guide to dealing with ethical issues in information and library work

David McMenemy, Alan Poulter and Paul Burton, Strathclyde University, UK

Chandos Information Professional Series

…a comprehensive book, with an innovative approach to practical decision making.
Scottish Health Information Network

 - despite the coverage of ethical issues in books on copyright, freedom of information, public internet access, and data protection, this book fills the gap in drawing all of this information together, as one sourcebook
 - the book can be used for regular reference
 - does not offer legal advice per se, but explains the various scenarios that have been utilised for different ethical problems in the workplace

This book looks at all of the ethical issues facing information and library professionals in one overarching, and practically-focused, text. As such, it is of great benefit to both practitioners and to LIS students. The focus of the book is two-fold: (1) It contains a detailed discussion of the issues that impact on the day-today practice of information workers in the 21st century; and (2) contains case studies discussing potential solutions to ethical problems faced. The book provides sections which work like flowcharts leading from ethical issues through decision points to proposed solutions based on the literature/case studies. This is a highly useful resource that provides appropriate access to potential solutions for day-to-day queries.

Readership: Practitioners and students of information and library studies.

£42.50 / US$70.00 / €50.00

£62.50 / US$105.00 / €75.00

An e-book version of this title is available to purchase as part of a Collection or Pick n Mix. Visit Chandos Publishing Online

About the authors

David McMenemy, Alan Poulter and Paul F. Burton are based at the Department of Computer and Information Sciences where they teach on the MSc course in Information and Library Studies. All three authors are published widely in journals and have authored many books.

Contents

A taxonomy of the ethics of information use
 - Ethics and information
 - Ethics and information use
 - A taxonomy of general ethical issues relating to information

The librarian and ethics
 - The nature of information
 - Why should librarians be concerned with ethics?
 - Ethical decision-making
 - Ethical influences on librarians
 - Doing the right thing?
 - The librarian’s responsibilities to customers and society
 - Access and privacy issues
 - Intellectual property issues
 - Ethical management of the organisation and the individual
 - Conclusion

Ethical codes – an international overview
 - The need for ethical codes in professions
 - What the codes specify – an international overview
 - Conclusion

The ethics of information supply – from selection to provision
 - Selection
 - Purchasing
 - Cataloguing and classification
 - Delivery of information
 - Case studies
 - Case study discussions

Intellectual property questions
 - What is intellectual property?
 - IPR and libraries
 - Traditional roles versus modern challenges
 - Balancing rights with responsibilities – electronic dimensions
 - Conclusion
 - Case studies
 - Case study discussions

Freedom of access, privacy and acceptable use
 - Equity of access
 - Barriers to access
 - Privacy
 - User privacy when using library materials
 - Privacy of the user’s personal data
 - Privacy and the war on terror
 - Conclusion
 - Case studies
 - Case study discussions

Ethical management of the self, the individual and the organisation
 - Management of the self – continuing professional development
 - Utilising professional networks – discussion lists
 - Management issues – taking responsibility
 - Managing change effectively – ethical impossibility?
 - Management of the individual
 - Conclusion
 - Case studies
 - Case study discussions

Conclusion – ethical futures
 - Information provision
 - Intellectual property
 - Privacy and equity of access
 - Ethical management
 - The future