WebJunction

Description:

Library ethics involve the study of moral issues: good and evil, right and wrong.as they apply to making decisions and taking action in your library.

This course, by noted library and organization consultant Pat Wagner, uses case studies that highlight specific ethical challenges in libraries to give us the opportunity to think, write and talk about ethics. These simple case studies can help to anticipate complex issues.

Objectives

How will you know three months from now if this class is successful? How might your thinking, behaviors or decisions be different after you take this class?

• You find yourself aware of ethical situations at the library that you previously might have ignored or overlooked
• You are more likely to recognize the potential ethical problems in a proposed library policy
• You find it easier to put yourself in another person's shoes and understand her point of view regarding the library, even if you don't like the person
• You are less likely to jump to conclusions when you hear bad things about another person who works at or visits the library, even if you don't like the person
• You feel more interested in discussions about libraries and ethics
• You find yourself speaking up in conversations about governing the library and asking questions such as: "Are we being fair to all of our library users?" "Are we being transparent in our decision-making processes?" "Are we ensuring that all community members have access?"

LE@D COURSE NOTE: After enrolling, launch the course from your My Courses page and follow the instructions to request a special University of North Texas login unique to your enrollment. After completing the course at UNT, return to your My Courses page, launch again, and follow the instructions to record completion at WebJunction.