The Core Virtue of Christian Librarianship

Abstract

Christian librarians should derive their professional ethics from methodical exegesis of the Bible. The New Testaments most salient ethical statements center on love-for God, neighbor, and fellow believers. Each of these has significant implications for library practice. Identifying love as the core virtue of librarianship represents a radical departure from secular approaches to library ethics. While the biblical and secular models converge on some significant points, they are fundamentally opposite. Where the two reach similar conclusions, the biblical model proves to be more philosophically consistent. The Scriptures speak with enduring relevance to the issues facing librarians.