Shoemaker. EKO3 2015 1 No One Can Whistle a Symphony
Transcription
Shoemaker. EKO3 2015 1 No One Can Whistle a Symphony
Shoemaker. EKO3 2015 1 No One Can Whistle a Symphony: Seeking a Catalogers’ Code of Ethics Beth Shoemaker, Cataloging/Resource Access Librarian, St. Ambrose University [email protected] Abstract: The ethics of information organization takes up relatively little print space in technical service and cataloging journals, despite catalogers’ role in the most fundamental level of making resources available – or unavailable - to patrons. Existing codes of ethics for library staff offer only peripheral guidelines, leaving catalogers adrift when ethical issues arise. Ultimately the lack of a clear code of ethics for information organization reinforces existing mystification around the role of catalogers within the library and causes difficulty in justifying decisions to supervisors and administrators. As librarians, our overriding guidance comes from the ALA Code of Ethicsi. Only articles II and VII of that code have direct bearing on metadata and cataloging work. These articles, II: resisting censorship and VII: separating personal convictions from professional duties, are vague and require unpacking in order to see their application to information organization. While this code is necessarily trying to be all things to all people, the sparse direction for metadata professionals leaves much to be desired. Other official publications from ALA such as the ALCTS Supplement and the Library Bill of Rights are equally vague regarding information organization. While not technically a code of ethics, the ALA statement on Labeling and Rating Systemsii does begin to touch specifically on cataloging and metadata. Dealing explicitly with how libraries should not prejudice access to resources through labeling, catalogers are compelled to consider the role of subject headings, authority work and RDA relationships as potential ways to restrict or encourage access to resources. The statement on Labeling and Rating is the only current publication of the ALA or its sections that provides clear direction relevant to cataloging and metadata work. Outside the professional bulwark of ALA, at least two individuals have made attempts at crafting statements or codes of ethics. The first is the venerable Sanford Berman, whose brief statement in The Unabashed Librarianiii flies in the face of portions of the ALA Code of Ethics. While it is Shoemaker. EKO3 2015 2 tempting to raise our fists in solidarity with his bold statement, it is problematic both for its contradiction to the ALA Code, and also because it is inflammatory and in no way actionable. Sheila Bair has proposed a very specific 10 point Cataloging Code of Ethicsiv which contains much to recommend it, including positioning cataloging as a public service of the library. She has clearly put a great deal of thought into crafting her code, and the results are impressive and useful. However, while no code of ethics can cover every situation, there are points where we see frequent contradictions in practice, such as providing “accurate, full-level records to the shared databases” (Bair, 2005, 23) versus the actual content of tools like OCLC. Additionally Bair’s code could be seen to reinforce dichotomies of the academic workplace between MLS-trained librarians/faculty and staff members. A meaningful starting point, Bair’s code lacks one additional important aspect: professional endorsement. Codes of ethics are necessarily idealistic – they describe how one should act. The beauty and danger of professional codes of ethics is that they are not compulsory and cannot be enforced. Nevertheless, a professional code of ethics for information organization fulfills several important roles. A code that is accepted by a profession points to consensus within a group about what constitutes ethical behavior, and thereby places everyone at the same starting point. A specific code, composed and accepted by a professional organization serves to clarify the role of that profession, and lend it credence in the willingness of its members to act according to a standard. Lastly it is a tool that can be used to guide and justify decisions and set policy within cataloging and metadata departments that may have broad implications for the entire library. In this paper I discuss the limited literature about ethics of information organization to elucidate the kind of situations we face with minimal ethical guidance and the questions they raise for our profession. After careful consideration of both the positive and negative aspects of codifying ethical standards, I clarify what metadata professionals lose as a group and as individuals by not having a code. I therefore challenge the membership of the Cataloging and Metadata Management Section (CaMMS) to address this void and begin drafting a Code of Ethics for Information Organization. References: Shoemaker. EKO3 2015 3 Code of Ethics of the American Library Association. Accessed February 11, 2015. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics Labeling and Rating Systems: an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. Accessed February 8, 2015. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/labelingrating Berman, Sanford. “Berman’s Bag: Why Catalog?” The Unabashed Librarian 116 (2000):1 Bair, Sheila. “Toward a Code of Ethics for Cataloging”. Technical Services Quarterly 23 no.1 (2005): 23. DOI: 10.1300/J124v23n01_02