Caught Between Ethics and Social Responsibilities: What Present-Day Library and Information Professionals Should Do?

Abstract

The paper raises some concerns in the implementation of the ethical principles prescribed for library and information professionals at a time when these create conflict with their responsibilities towards the society. It stresses the need to orient the library professionals in ethical issues and social responsibilities, which is increasingly being felt, as codes of ethics are not sufficient to deal with the ethical dilemmas faced in the changing technology environment. In the absence of a set of ethics prescribed exclusively for library profession in India, it is recommended that library associations in India should make similar efforts like the American Library Association and others to formulate ethical guidelines that befit the changing technological and social environment and regularly address the aspect of social responsibilities of professionals to sort out ethical dilemmas.