The ethics of access: Towards an equal slice of the pie

Morrison, Samuel F.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/600 Copy

Description

Title

The ethics of access: Towards an equal slice of the pie

Author(s)

Morrison, Samuel F.

Issue Date

1991

Keyword(s)

• Librarians --Professional ethics
• Ethics
• Access to information
• Public libraries

Abstract

"Ethics is a system of moral principles and of values relating to the Tightness and wrongness of certain actions. When two diametrically opposed obligations conflict with one another, an ethical dilemma occurs. It is settled only by weighing and evaluating the importance of the conflicting obligations. The moral conviction of a democratic society supportive of freedom of information versus the welfare of that public might well be an example of two opposing obligations. Equal access to information by the people versus the provision of relevant and friendly information is another wordset of potentially opposing obligations. The free library for the good of the public versus quality library services is also a contender. It is not so opposing if one considers the statement of Alphonse Trezza (1986) during his tenure with the National Commission on Library and Information Services (NCLIS): ""The commitment to public good requires the library to constantly improve quality of services, the effective use of technology, and the efficiency of the operation"" (p. 52). Providing access and fulfilling the needs of the majority versus providing access and fulfilling the needs of the minority is yet another opposing set. If one adds the words ""equal opportunity"" then the impact of this statement upon the library is significant."

Publisher

Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Series/Report Name or Number

Allerton Park Institute (31st : 1989)

ISSN

0536-4604

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/600

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