Doing the right thing: professional ethics for information workers in Britain

The absence of a formal code of ethics for librarians in Britain until 1983 meant that ethical values were passed on by example rather than precept. Increased interest in ethical issues in the 1970s, when the profession was seen as in crisis, resulted in discussions within the Library Association and a draft code was issued in 1981. Despite strong criticism of the draft, it became the basis of the formal Library Association code. It has seldom been tested as a disciplinary instrument. Renewed interest in ethical issues and the need for a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) code, after the creation of the new organisation in 2002, have returned codes into the area of debate. It is suggested that a new code, rather than standing alone, might form part of a group of related codes from other organisations, all of which could be endorsed by CILIP. This would be intended to encourage ethical maturity in the profession, rather than simply acting as a basis for professional discipline.