Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In 1991, Le W Finks wrote about the need for librarianship to develop a new code of ethics. In 1995, the ALA did just that. A perusal of the code leads to the conclusion that perhaps not all of his concerns were incorporated. Essential to Finks thesis is the belief tahat a code of ethics for librarians and information professionals must not be a hallow statement written to satisfy the public library boards. It must embody the principles and conviction that librarians have historically considered of value, and should "Focus on the way we don our work and whether or not we perform in a way that can honestly be called professional". Furthermore, as Johan Bekkar points out, since society judges a profession by its individual member, all members must follow a clearly defined set of ethical standards. In particular ethical issues related to selection of materials and intellectual freedom should be carefully considered by librarians. Intellctual freedom hinges on the assumption that individuals choose the path their inquires take but this is often a false assumption. Professional codes require librarians to remain neutral and to provide the information a client request. Librarians should set aside their assumption and prejudices to make sure they won't destroy the fundamental principle that underlies librarianship: the socail obligation to allow access to all perspectives.
Which of the following is essential to 'Finks' thesis?
Code must embody the principles and conviction considered as value
Understanding Le W. Finks' Thesis on Librarian Ethics Code
The question asks about what is essential to the thesis of Le W. Finks regarding a new code of ethics for librarianship. To answer this, we need to carefully read the provided passage and identify the statements directly attributed to Finks' viewpoint.
The passage introduces Le W. Finks and his perspective on the need for a new code of ethics in librarianship. It specifically states: "Essential to Finks thesis is the belief tahat a code of ethics for librarians and information professionals must not be a hallow statement written to satisfy the public library boards. It must embody the principles and conviction that librarians have historically considered of value, and should 'Focus on the way we don our work and whether or not we perform in a way that can honestly be called professional'".
Let's evaluate the given options based on this statement:
- Option 1: Code must be hollow statement
This directly contradicts the passage, which states that the code "must not be a hallow statement". Therefore, this option is incorrect. - Option 2: Code must be written to the public or library boards.
The passage states that the code "must not be a hallow statement written to satisfy the public library boards". While a code might be accessible to the public or boards, its primary purpose, according to Finks, shouldn't just be satisfying them. This option misrepresents Finks' view and is incorrect. - Option 3: Code must embody the principles and conviction considered as value
The passage explicitly states, "Essential to Finks thesis is the belief tahat... It must embody the principles and conviction that librarians have historically considered of value". This statement directly matches the wording in the passage as being essential to Finks' thesis. This option is correct. - Option 4: Librarians do not have professionalism
The passage mentions that the code should help librarians perform in a way that can be "honestly called professional", suggesting professionalism is a standard or a goal. It does not state or imply that Finks' thesis is based on the belief that librarians inherently lack professionalism. This option is not supported by the passage and is incorrect.
Based on the analysis, the statement that the code of ethics must embody the principles and conviction considered valuable by librarians is explicitly mentioned as essential to Finks' thesis in the passage.
Revision Table: Key Aspects of Finks' Thesis
| Aspect of Finks' Thesis | Description from Passage |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Code | Must not be a hollow statement. |
| Purpose of the Code | Must not be written just to satisfy public library boards. |
| Content of the Code | Must embody principles and conviction librarians value. |
| Focus of the Code | Should focus on how work is done professionally. |
Additional Information: Ethics in Librarianship
Ethics is a critical component of librarianship and information science. Professional ethics guides librarians in their daily work, ensuring they uphold the values central to the profession. Key ethical principles often include:
- Intellectual Freedom: Protecting the rights of individuals to access information and ideas from all points of view without censorship.
- Privacy and Confidentiality: Protecting the privacy of users' information and their use of library resources.
- Access to Information: Ensuring equitable access to information for all members of the community.
- Neutrality and Impartiality: Providing information on all sides of an issue and avoiding personal bias in service.
- Professionalism: Maintaining competence and ethical conduct in all professional interactions.
As the passage mentions, figures like Johan Bekkar emphasize that the profession is judged by its individual members following a clear set of ethical standards. Issues like material selection and intellectual freedom are highlighted as requiring careful consideration by librarians to uphold the fundamental principle of allowing access to all perspectives.
Important Questions from Library & Information Profession
Who pointed out that society judges a profession by its individual members?
Who should set aside their assumption and prejudices to make sure they won't destroy the fundamental principles?
Who wrote about the needs for the code of ethics?
In which year, did ALA develop the code of ethics?
Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion A, and other one labeled as Reason R
Assertion A: In the present online environment, there is no need for librarians to evaluate reference sources on the web.
Reason R: There are publications that help librarians to select and evaluate the reference collection for a particular library in print or online.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below
