"Study of the basics of ethical theory and its application to problems in information management. Application and development of ethical codes in case studies."
Library and information professionals play an extremely important role in society. And it is critical that they carry out their mission in an ethical manner. Toward this end, many organizations of information professionals have adopted codes of professional ethics. See, for example, ALA’s Code of Ethics and ASIST’s Professional Guidelines.
Such codes of professional ethics provide library and information professionals with guiding principles. However, there are a number of reasons why such professionals need to understand the ethical reasoning that justifies acting in accordance with these principles. First, it is no simple matter to apply these principles to particular concrete situations. An understanding of the underlying ethical reasoning can help us to apply these principles to such situations. Second, these principles often come into conflict with other obligations that we have. (They can even come into conflict with each other.) An understanding of the underlying ethical reasoning can help us to
resolve such conflicts.
In this course, we will study the various ethical theories that have been proposed by philosophers. We will then apply these theories to the ethical dilemmas that most commonly confront library and information professionals. In particular, we will focus on issues such as intellectual freedom, equitable access to information, privacy, and intellectual property. In addition, we will look at how advances in information technology have created new ethical dilemmas.
Note: Libraries and librarians face certain unique ethical challenges. However, they also share many ethical challenges with the growing number of businesses and government agencies that handle and disseminate information. As a result, many of the readings for this course will look at information ethics in this broader context.
Technical Prerequisites:
Students taking this course will need to satisfy the standard SIRLS technical requirements. In addition, several assignments in this course require students to create web pages. Furthermore, at least one assignment requires students to create a web page and post it on the web. Tips for doing this will be posted in D2L. Please contact the instructor if you have questions about these prerequisites.
Course Format:
This course will be taught virtually using a D2L course on the Web. Enrolled students will be given accounts by the start of the semester.
Note: Information about using D2L is available at http://www.sir.arizona.edu/resources/computing.html#d2l. If you have trouble with D2L, you can contact the D2L Support Staff (d2l@email.arizona.edu). (In addition, you can contact the SIRLS "D2L GAT" for the semester.) Send the D2L staff an email message explaining exactly what is happening.
I plan to post one lecture per week. I plan to post these lectures on Tuesday afternoon or evening. So, you should find them posted in the "Content" area of the D2L course by the following morning.
I will set up a discussion forum for each lecture. Online discussions of the content of the course will take place in these forums. The participation requirement for this course requires active participation in these discussions. Lectures will typically conclude with a few possible discussion questions. You should have something thoughtful to say (a question, a comment, a reply, etc.) every week or so. But in order to stay up-to-date on discussions and announcements, you should check into D2L every day or so.
Note: The last day of classes this semester is December 5th. This will be the last official day for participation. However, D2L should still be accessible for at least a couple of weeks after that point. I will still be checking in on the discussions and you are free to continue posting to the discussion forums.
I have a couple of small requests with regard to the discussion forums. These forums will be our main mode of communication in this course. In order to keep this communication more or less organized, I will set up different forums for different purposes. For example, in addition to a forum for each lecture, I will also set up a "Greetings" forum for you to describe who you are and why you are taking this particular course. So, my first request is that you try to direct your comments to the appropriate forum. My second request is that you use D2L email, instead of the forums, for any personal correspondence.
Note: If I need to communicate with you directly, I will typically send you a D2L email message. So, in addition to regularly checking the discussion forums, you need to regularly check your D2L email account (or you need to have your D2L email forwarded to your regular email account).
By the end of this course, students will:
- know how to explain and apply the main ethical theories.
- be able to analyze and provide reasoned responses to ethical dilemmas that arise in information management..
- know how to explain and apply the ALA's Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights.
- be able to defend principles of intellectual freedom.
- understand privacy concerns in information management..
- know the basics of intellectual property policy.
- be aware of possible conflicts between various ethical values and how to resolve these conflicts.
There is no required text to buy. However, the following book on information ethics is highly recommended:
- Spinello, Richard A. 1995. Ethical Aspects of Information Technology. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
The required readings for this course (which are subject to modification)will all be available electronically. Some readings will be on the web. Other readings are in journals that can be accessed online through UA Library. (You will need a CatCard number to access these readings.) Still other readings (viz., those below which do not have links) will be available through electronic reserves. (The password will be distributed in D2L.)
The Mission of the Information Professional
- Ortega y Gasset, José. 1961. "The Mission of the Librarian." Antioch Review 2:133-54.
- Wengert, Robert. 2001. "Some Ethical Aspects of Being an Information Professional." Library Trends 49:486-509.
Codes of Ethics
- Finks, Lee W. 1991. "Librarianship Needs a New Code of Professional Ethics." American Libraries 22 (January): 84-92.
- American Library Association. 1995. "Code of Ethics."
- American Society for Information Science and Technology. 1992. "ASIST Professional Guidelines."
- American Library Association. 1996. "Library Bill of Rights."
- Society of American Archivists. 1992. "A Code of Ethics for Archivists."
Ethical Theories
- Spinello, Richard A. 1995. "Frameworks for Ethical Analysis." Pp. 14-44 in Ethical Aspects of Information Technology. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
- Woodward, Diana. 1990. "A Framework for Deciding Issues in Ethics." Library Trends 39:8-17.
- Woodward, Diana. 1990. "Paternalistic Censorship and Privacy Protection." Library Trends 39:5-7.
Intellectual Freedom
- Doyle, Tony. 2001. "A Utilitarian Case for Intellectual Freedom in Libraries." Library Quarterly 71:44-71.
- Mill, John Stuart. 1859. "Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion." On Liberty.
- Wolkoff, Kathleen Nietzke. 1996. "The Problem of Holocaust Denial Literature in Libraries." Library Trends 45:87-96.
- Nesta, Fred and Henry Blanke. 1991. "Warning: Propaganda!" Library Journal (May 15):41-43.
- Mathiesen, Kay. 2007. "Censorship and Access to Expression."
Access to Information
- Sheerin, William E. 1991. "Absolutism on Access and Confidentiality: Principled or Irresponsible?" American Libraries (May):440-44.
- Baldwin, Gordon B. 1996. "The Library Bill of Rights--A Critique." Library Trends 45:7-27.
Equitable Access
- Floridi, Luciano. 2001. "Information Ethics: An Environmental Approach to the Digital Divide." Philosophy in the Contemporary World 9:1-7.
- van den Hoven, M. J. 1995. "Equal Access and Social Justice: Information As a Primary Good." ETHICOMP95: An International Conference on the Ethical Issues of Using Information Technology.
Privacy
- Thomson, Judith Jarvis. 1975. "The Right to Privacy." Philosophy and Public Affairs 4:295-314.
- Garoogian, Rhoda. 1991. "Librarian/Patron Confidentiality: An Ethical Challenge." Library Trends 40:216-33.
Intellectual Property
- Harper, Georgia K. 2001. "Copyright Crash Course."
- Hettinger, Edwin C. 1989. "Justifying Intellectual Property." Philosophy and Public Affairs 18:31-52.
- Vaidhyanathan, Siva. 2002. "Copyright As Cudgel." The Chronicle of Higher Education 48:B7.
There are five components that go into the final course grade:
Requirement Percentage of Final Grade Participation 15% Midterm 20% Group Presentation 25% Individual Project 20% Short Assignments 20%
Participation is discussed above under Course Format.
The Midterm will consist of a few essay questions (and probably a few short answer questions) that cover the lectures, readings, and discussions. It will be posted on a Tuesday in the middle of the semester in lieu of a lecture. The midterm will be due one week after it is assigned (i.e., the following Tuesday).
Note:
All of the assignments in this course (including the midterm) will be due at 11:59pm Tucson time. I don't plan to start grading them at midnight; I just want to be sure that I have them in my hands when I get up the following morning. By the way, Tucson is always on Mountain Standard Time (MST).
The Group Presentation requires each of you to participate in creating an online presentation on a topic within the scope of information ethics. These presentations will take place during the last few weeks of the semester. Each group will sign up for a specific date to put their presentation online. We will treat the presentations like any other virtual lecture. For instance, I will set up a forum for each presentation, presentations will be required reading, etc.
Note:
I do understand that group presentations, especially in a virtual course, present certain difficulties. Please let me know if you are having any problems.
The Individual Project requires you to create an online code of ethics for a particular type of library and information professional.
Short Assignments consisting of a few short questions will typically be posted on Tuesdays at the end of each lecture.These assignments will be due on the following Tuesday.
Further details about these assignments (including due dates) will be provided in D2L. All assignments must be submitted as HTML or PDF files. Information about creating HTML documents is available at:
http://www.sir.arizona.edu/resources/computing.html#html.
Academic Code of Integrity
Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.
Accommodating Disabilities
The University has a Disability Resource Center. If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.
Assignment Policies
Further details about turning in assignments will be posted in D2L.
Incompletes
The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual, p.23 reads
The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
| Final Grade | Overall Percentage Score |
| A | 90% and above |
| B | 80% to 89% |
| C | 70% to 79% |
| D | 60% to 69% |
| E | 59% and below |
Each assignment will be graded on a point system. For example, you might receive 17 out of a possible 20 points on your Individual Project. At the end of the course, the points received on each of the five components will be aggregated (using the percentages given above under Course Requirements) to yield an overall percentage score. Students with scores of 90% and above will receive an A, those with scores between 80% and 89% will receive a B, those with scores between 70% and 79% will receive a C, etc. Further details about the grading of assignments will be posted in D2L.
Office: SIRLS 14
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:00am to 12:30pm and by appointment.
Telephone: 621-3565
D2L email: fallis at d2l dot arizona dot edu
Regular email: fallis at email dot arizona dot edu
If you have questions for me about the course, post a message to the D2L discussion forums or send a message to my D2L email account. (I prefer that you not use my regular email account for questions about the course.) In addition, if you are going to be in Tucson, you can come to my office hours or set up an appointment.
