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.
Who should set aside their assumption and prejudices to make sure they won't destroy the fundamental principles?
Library and Information professionals
Understanding Librarian Ethics and Professional Conduct
The question asks who, according to the passage, should set aside their assumptions and prejudices to uphold fundamental principles of librarianship. To answer this, we need to carefully read the provided passage and identify the specific statement that addresses this point.
Analyzing the Passage for Clues
The passage discusses the need for a new code of ethics for librarianship and highlights the importance of ethical standards for librarians and information professionals. It mentions ethical issues related to material selection and intellectual freedom. The key sentence relevant to the question is:
"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."
Identifying Who Should Set Aside Assumptions
The sentence clearly states, "Librarians should set aside their assumption and prejudices..." This directly identifies the group responsible for this action.
The passage uses the terms "librarians," "librarianship," and "information professionals" to refer to the people working in this field and their professional practice.
Evaluating the Options
Let's look at the given options:
- Library and Information professionals
- Society
- ALA
- User community
Comparing the subject identified in the passage ("Librarians") with the options, we see that "Library and Information professionals" is the most appropriate match. The passage uses "librarians and information professionals" interchangeably when discussing the need for a code of ethics and professional conduct.
- Option 1: Library and Information professionals - This aligns perfectly with "Librarians" as stated in the crucial sentence. Librarians are a type of information professional.
- Option 2: Society - The passage mentions society judging a profession but doesn't say society should set aside its assumptions in the context of allowing access to information.
- Option 3: ALA - The passage mentions the ALA (American Library Association) creating a code of ethics, but it's the members (librarians/professionals) who are expected to follow the code, not the organization itself setting aside assumptions for this specific purpose.
- Option 4: User community - The passage discusses the user's ability to choose paths of inquiry (intellectual freedom) but does not suggest the user community is responsible for setting aside assumptions to ensure access for others; that responsibility is placed on the professionals providing the service.
Therefore, based on the direct statement in the passage, it is the librarians, or more broadly, the Library and Information professionals, who must set aside their assumptions and prejudices to uphold the principle of providing access to all perspectives.
Conclusion
The passage explicitly states that "Librarians should set aside their assumption and prejudices". This directly corresponds to the group described as "Library and Information professionals" in the options. This action is crucial for maintaining the fundamental principle of allowing access to all perspectives, a core tenet of librarianship.
| Key Point from Passage | Matching Option |
|---|---|
| "Librarians should set aside their assumption and prejudices..." | Option 1: Library and Information professionals |
Revision Table: Key Concepts in Librarian Ethics
| Concept | Explanation from Passage Context |
|---|---|
| Code of Ethics | A necessary set of principles for librarians and information professionals. |
| Professional Conduct | Doing work in a way that is honestly called professional, guided by ethics. |
| Intellectual Freedom | Hinges on individuals choosing their inquiries, but librarians must facilitate access neutrally. |
| Setting Aside Assumptions/Prejudices | Action required by librarians to ensure unbiased access to information. |
| Fundamental Principle (Social Obligation) | Allowing access to all perspectives; the core reason for librarians setting aside biases. |
Additional Information: The Role of Assumptions in Librarianship
Assumptions and prejudices can influence how information is selected, organized, and presented. For library and information professionals, recognizing and setting aside personal biases is essential for upholding the principle of intellectual freedom and ensuring equitable access to information.
- Neutrality: Professional codes require librarians to remain neutral and provide information requested by clients without imposing personal views or judgments.
- Access to All Perspectives: The core duty is to provide resources representing a wide range of viewpoints, even those the librarian may disagree with personally.
- Challenge to Intellectual Freedom: Personal assumptions about what information is appropriate or valuable for a user can inadvertently limit access and undermine intellectual freedom.
Therefore, continuous self-reflection and adherence to ethical guidelines are vital for library and information professionals to serve their communities effectively and impartially.
Important Questions from Library & Information Profession
Who pointed out that society judges a profession by its individual members?
Which of the following is essential to 'Finks' thesis?
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
