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- Description
- Table of Contents
- About the authors
The study of ethics, essential for effective acquisitions librarians and collection managers, is largely missing from standard library science curriculum. New library professionals must learn about ethics in librarianship on the job, supplemented by reading, attending conferences, and participating in webinars. Guide to Ethics in Acquisitions provides an historical perspective on ethics related to acquisitions of library materials and gives practical examples of situations that require thoughtful consideration of ethical behavior. Ethical issues include:
- conflict of interest,
- vendor relations,
- intellectual freedom,
- access, and
- privacy.
The Guide also examines
- different ethical codes in librarianship,
- how these codes have evolved to reflect the changes in library practice, and
- how they impact acquisitions and related activities.
While the primary focus is on acquisitions, some of these ethical issues have direct impact on the larger collection management of the library. Consequently, the Guide also examines a collection management perspective, but only insofar as it is related to acquisitions. Written from the perspective of an academic library, the Guide to Ethics in Acquisitions can easily be used by those working in other types of libraries, such as school, public, or special.
Introduction
Organization of the Guide
Chapter One: Ethics
Definition of EthicsPersonal and Societal ValuesLegal Ethics (State and Federal)Professional Ethics
Chapter Two: The Acquisitions Librarian and Ethics
Brief History of the Association for Library Collections and Technical ServicesReason for Acquisitions FocusGuidance from Twelve Statements
Chapter Three: Decision Points in Ethical Collection Development
Intellectual FreedomCollecting Materials According to Collection Development PoliciesSelection StageScope of ContentReceipt of MaterialsChecks and BalancesSecurity of MaterialsCost of PreservationStorage of MaterialEthics of Collection Access
Chapter Four: Privacy and Confidentiality Issues in Library Acquisitions
The Legal Landscape of Privacy and ConfidentialityWhen Library Best Practices Violate Patron PrivacyRecommendations
Conclusion Appendix: Major Ethics Codes for LibrarianshipGlossary: Ethics TermsBibliographyAbout the Authors
Wyoma vanDuinkerken
Wyoma vanDuinkerken is the coordinator of cataloging record support and an associate professor at Texas A&M University Libraries. She has also been interim head of cataloging staff, coordinator of monographs acquisitions, reference librarian for Islamic studies, and project leader for the implementation of virtual reference at Texas A&M. Before that, she managed documentation and support and customer service response for a library software company in Canada and worked with the Office of Strategic Business Initiatives of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, managing an extensive project portfolio.
Wendi Arant Kaspar
Wendi Arant Kaspar earned an MLS from the University of Washington in 1994 and an MS in Management from Texas A&M University–College Station. She joined Texas A&M University in 1996 and received tenure in 2002. She is a Professor and Policy Science & Economics Librarian but has held a number of additional administrative roles in the Library College at Texas A&M University, including Assistant Director of Access Services, Coordinator of Outreach Services and Liaison, Coordinator of Electronic Reference Services, and English Liaison Librarian. Her research interests include human resources and management in libraries, innovation in library services, outreach, and liaison. She has written numerous articles and book chapters. She currently serves as the co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Academic Librarianship.
Jeanne Harrell
Jeanne Harrell received her MLS from the University of Oklahoma in 1982. She joined the faculty at Texas AandM University in 1985 and received tenure in 1993. She is currently Coordinator of Monograph and Automated Acquisitions and served as Head of Acquisitions for many years. Previously, she was a cataloger and LIAS trainer at the University of Tulsa. Harrell has been active in the Texas Library Association and the American Library Association since 1985 in numerous leadership roles and is currently chair-elect of the Acquisitions Section of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services of the American Library Association. She has published mainly in the area of library acquisitions, most recently in fund accounting and e-book management, including patron-driven acquisitions.