Introduction
In the past, scientific and professional knowledge has often been associated with ideals of objectivity and neutrality, emphasizing the importance of separating personal experiences and values from scholarly inquiry. However, scholars such as sociologist Dorothy Smith have challenged the assumption that knowledge can be entirely separated from the social positions of those who produce it. Through standpoint theory, Smith (1987) emphasizes how people’s lived experiences and positions within society shape their understanding of the world, offering perspectives that may be overlooked by established institutions.
Smith’s ideas provide a foundation for examining our responsibilities as information professionals. They encourage us to recognize that our decisions are influenced by the social and institutional environments in which we work. This connects directly to Competency A, which asks us to demonstrate an awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of an information profession.
Values and Ethics within the Library
Historically, libraries have been regarded as institutions of knowledge, learning, and public service. However, the ways in which information is collected, organized, preserved, and shared are not inherently neutral. Decisions about which materials belong in a collection, whose voices are represented, and how information is categorized can reflect broader social structures and biases. For example, in some bookstores, Christian texts may be categorized under Religion, while materials about Wiccan practices are placed under New Age, despite Wicca being a religious tradition. Similar decisions within library classification systems can influence how patrons discover information and how particular communities are represented. Recognizing these biases emphasizes the importance of approaching librarianship with critical awareness and a commitment to ethical practice.
The American Library Association (ALA) identifies several foundational values of librarianship, including access to information, intellectual freedom, privacy, diversity, and the public good (American Library Association, 2023). These principles help guide information professionals in navigating the responsibilities and challenges of their work. A commitment to intellectual freedom, for example, requires librarians to support the public’s ability to explore ideas and perspectives, even when those ideas challenge their personal beliefs. Similarly, equitable access requires information professionals to recognize the barriers that prevent individuals and communities from finding and using the resources they need.
While these foundational values establish the principles that guide the profession, the ALA’s Code of Ethics provides a framework for putting them into practice. I view the Code as more than a statement of professional ideals. It provides guidance for making difficult decisions when personal beliefs, institutional policies, and the needs of library users come into conflict. For example, a librarian may personally disagree with the perspectives presented in a particular resource but still have an ethical responsibility to support intellectual freedom. Similarly, protecting patron privacy may require questioning institutional practices that collect or retain unnecessary personal information.
In her article “Institutional Neutrality Isn’t Reality,” Julie Jones (2018) challenges the assumption that libraries and other educational institutions can operate as neutral spaces. She argues that expressions of free speech do not occur on an equal playing field, as existing power structures can allow some individuals to exercise their freedoms at the expense of others. Her discussion demonstrates that even decisions made in the name of safety and free expression can have unequal consequences for the communities an institution serves.
These considerations are particularly important when examining the ethical responsibilities of librarians. If we fail to uphold the principles outlined by the ALA Code of Ethics, we risk undermining the trust communities place in libraries. For example, an unhoused person denied access to library resources because of a librarian’s preconceived assumptions may lose access to services that help meet their basic needs. Similarly, a teenager exploring their LGBTQ+ identity may face serious consequences if their research activities are disclosed without their consent. Within academic libraries, these responsibilities may arise when supporting students researching sensitive subjects, protecting their research histories, or developing collections that represent marginalized perspectives.
Jones’ argument reinforces the importance of approaching librarianship with an awareness of the social conditions in which libraries operate. Rather than assuming that established practices are inherently fair, information professionals must continually reflect on whose needs their decisions serve and whose experiences may be overlooked. In my future work within academic libraries, I hope to apply these principles by critically examining institutional policies, supporting intellectual freedom, protecting patron privacy, and advocating for equitable access to information. By regularly consulting the ALA Code of Ethics and reflecting on my own position and biases, I hope to remain accountable to these commitments. For me, ethical librarianship means recognizing that we hold positions of power and must exercise that responsibility with care.
Evidence
Evidence #1: CITI Certification for Social Science Research involving Human Subjects
The first piece of evidence I submit as evidence of my competency is my Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Certification. Taken as part of my INFO 285 course, this certification verifies I have undergone ethics training in regards to research involving human subjects. This training included topics such as a history of abuses—both accidental and intentional—committed during human research, regulations around research, and informed consent. Without these principles. This was my second time becoming CITI Certified. My first time becoming certified was for the purpose of my undergrad Internship culmination project, which will be discussed in Competency L.
This certification demonstrates my understanding that my ethical responsibilities as a librarian extend beyond following the established regulations. Research ethics emphasize the importance of subject privacy, accountability, and respect for individuals. The breaching of a subject’s private information—or a patron’s—can have profound negative impacts on their lives. This subject matter ties directly back to the ALA Code of Ethics (2021). Librarians regularly work with patron private information, and must consider how their decisions affect the people involved. Additionally, it taught me that when we are given a role of authority, like a Librarian might hold as a government or academic official, people may be accidentally coerced into something they do not wish to participate in out of fear of unknown retribution. Through this training, I have solidified my awareness of the ethical responsibilities I hold, and how I can better approach my future work for the safety of both the community I serve and the people I work with.
Evidence #2: Critical Reflections on Implicit and Structural Biases
2a. Harvard Implicit Association Test Results
2b. IAT Test Self-Reflection of Personal Biases
2c. Women with Children: Engaging with Communities Outside my Own
As a part of my INFO 281 class, we were required to take Harvard’s Implicit Association Test, which helps us to recognize our own internal biases. Following this test, I wrote a reflection on the results of this, examining where my biases lie and considering in what ways those biases might become harmful if not monitored. The ALA’s code of ethics asks us to “distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties” (2021). When it comes to ethics, it is vital that we as information professionals constantly engage with and re-examine our own biases. If we do not reflect on them and consider their impact, we become blind to those biases, and are at risk of entering our work place.
Further in this assignment, I was asked to engage in a community which I do not belong to so we might further examine our own thoughts and beliefs regarding that community. While it is not a community which someone might immediately think of when it comes to biases, I chose women with children. As someone who chooses to be child free, it becomes easy to separate myself from that community, to become frustrated when I hear a screaming child, and to place blame on parents. Throughout my reflection, I engage with this bias and examine the barriers which women with children often face. This work strengthened my ability to recognize my own biases, to examine them, and to deconstruct them to ensure I keep them out of my work.
Evidence #3: Term Paper — Breaking Barriers: Fostering Equity for Low-Income and Minority Communities through Library Access
This paper demonstrates my understanding of the ethical responsibilities of librarianship by examining the barriers which prevent low-income and marginalized communities from accessing library resources and services. Through my research, I explored how institutional policies, inadequate funding, and personal biases can contribute to the exclusion of these communities. Using the ALA’s foundational values as a framework, it shows my ability to engage critically with those values, emphasizing the importance of information access, diversity, and work for the public good (2023). In particular, my discussion of unhoused patrons and latchkey children challenged me to consider how librarians can balance institutional policies with their responsibilities to serve their communities. This research sharpened by understanding that ethical librarianship requires more than following established procedures. Sometimes it requires us to critically examine how those procedures affect different populations and seek new ways to make library services more equitable and inclusive.
Conclusion
As I step into my career and work towards becoming an academic librarian, I intend to apply this competency by approaching my work through a critical lens. I will approach my work with awareness, accountability, and a commitment to equitable access to information. Academic libraries serve students, faculty, and the community as a whole from a wide range of backgrounds, each with different needs and experiences. I recognize that I have a responsibility to examine how library policies, collection development, research practices, and daily interactions with patrons can affect these communities in different ways. I hope to carry these lessons into my future work by continually questioning my assumptions, advocating for inclusive library services, and making decisions that prioritize the well-being and information needs of the communities I serve.
Additionally, I recognize that ethical librarianship requires me to keep my mind open to ongoing learning and reflection. To remain current, I intend to regularly consult the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics as a guide as I navigate different decisions. I will also be using the ALA’s website and information science journals follow current discussions and new ideas. As challenges facing libraries evolve, including debates around intellectual freedom, censorship, privacy, I know how important it is to stay well-informed and aware. As Smith states, we must be aware of how our experiences shape our understanding of the world (1987). As an academic librarian, I want to remain conscious of how my own perspective influences my decisions while staying open to the knowledge and experiences of others. Ultimately, I believe that ethical librarianship requires not only a commitment to professional principles, but also a willingness to continually question, learn, and grow.
Cited
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American Library Association (2021). ALA Code of Ethics. ALA. Accessed October, 2026. https://www.ala.org/tools/ethics
American Library Association (2023). ALA Task Force on United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. ALA. Accessed October, 2026. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/advocacy/intfreedom/corevalues
Jones, J. (2018). Institutional neutrality is not reality. American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/05/01/institutional-neutrality-isnt-reality/
Smith, D. E. (1987). The everyday world as problematic : a feminist sociology. Northeastern University Press.
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