Problem of Ethics in Librarianship and Approach in Turkey

• Published in: Türk Kütüphaneciliği
• Main Author: Mehmet Toplu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Türk Kütüphaneciler Derneği (Turkish Librarians' Association) 2013-11-01
• Subjects: Etik; Kütüphanecilik Etiği; Meslek Etiği
• Online Access: http://tk.org.tr/index.php/TK/article/view/61
• ISSN: 1300-0039; 2147-9682

Ethical standards in the field of librarianship were accepted for the first time in 1938 by the American Library Association (ALA) in the USA. During the follow- ing years, even though some work has been carried out in this field in countries such as Canada, Japan and England, the subject was beginning to be considered as a major problem of international level only during the 1990s. In the 1990s many library associations identified and implemented their ethical standards. Ethical approaches in the field of librarianship in Turkey began appearing on the professional agenda during the second half of the 1990s and the "Professional Code of Ethics" was adopted by the Turkish Librarians' Association (TKD). It is observed that those ethical principles determined by the TKD are not fully reflected in the implementation process. Despite the fact that 11 years have elapsed since the determination of ethical codes, these principles have never been used by informationprofessionals because the subject of "ethics" is still not perceived as a fundamental professional issue. The research will deal with the definition, the scope, the limits and the professional reflections of librarianship ethics; its implementation dimension; and historical developments on the inter­national level and in Turkey together with their outcomes. The study will also emphasize the concepts of "ethics" and "professional ethics" to assure correct comprehension and interpretation of "librarianship ethics".