Ethics, Values, and Intellectual Freedom in School Libraries

Abstract

Two foundational documents from the American Library Association, the Code of Ethics and the Core Values of Librarianship, are meant to guide the actions of all U.S. librarians. However, their relevance to school librarians has not been studied to date. In this research, U.S. school librarians were surveyed to evaluate the significance of these documents. Generally, strong support was indicated for both. Respondents expressed less support for the ethical principles of intellectual freedom/censorship and privacy/confidentiality and for the core values of preservation, the public good, and democracy. Additional respondent comments suggest that some school librarians have difficulty applying these statements in their school settings.