Colegio Nacional de Bibliotecarios (Mexico)

Code of Professional Ethics

The CNB (Colegio Nacional de Bibliotecarios) initiated the task to elaborate the Code of Professional Ethics in March 1990. In this period, under the presidency of Ms Rosa María Fernández de Zamora, CNB, nominated an ad-hoc committee, including: Oscar Arriola Navarrete, Guadalupe Carrión Rodríguez, Roberto A. Gordillo, Estela Morales Campos, Álvaro Quijano Solís, Fernando Velázquez Merlo, chaired by Eduardo Salas Estrada.
Adopted by the Executive Board 1991-1992

Declaration of principles

Considering that the professionals of librarianship should have:

1. The mission to support society in its search for alternatives to improve its quality of life.
2. The obligation to improve the image of the library and information services to support the development of the citizens and of the country
3. The responsibility to promote the use of information in all sectors of the population
4. The obligation, as well as the opportunity to strengthen the image of the national library service

The Colegio Nacional de Bibliotecarios proclaims its

The professionals of librarianship:

1. Access to information

Librarians should be conscious of the significance and value of the information in all its aspects for the national development, therefore they should facilitate and allow the access to information. They should oppose to any form of censorship in providing services and in the development of documental resources abided by current legislation and the corresponding institutional regulations.

 

2. Impartiality and objectivity

Librarians should carry out their professional activities exercising a free and impartial criteria that guarantees the objectivity of their work without hiding, or lessening the facts, that may induce to error. They must always distinguish their own personal point of view from those of the institution where they work.

3. Respect to confidentiality

Librarians should keep complete discretion of the facts regarding the information they are requested or have received, of the personal information of the users, as well as the materials consulted or borrowed, unless the users authorise it.

4. Respect and pride for the profession

Librarians should be conscious of the importance of their role in the development of social life and should act with high professionalism and demonstrate pride and respect for the profession.

5. Professionalisation of the discipline

Librarians should encourage the professionalisation of the discipline through their performance, which should reflect the importance and the need of a professional education for the effective and efficient practicing of the discipline. They should always strive for their permanent education and actualisation, as well as for their colleagues, in order to have the possibility to offer services of excellence.

6. Strengthen the profession

Librarians should promote and participate in professional congresses, seminars and forums, at local, national and international level, in order to collaborate in the exchange of knowledge and experiences that will redound in the enrichment and growth of colleagues and other professionals related to librarianship.

7. Respect to the integrity of colleagues

Librarians should value their own prestige and moral integrity and should maintain discrete and respectful professional relations with their colleagues.

8. Relationship with users

Librarians should offer kind, professional, objective and discrete treatment to all users, which request their services without partiality or discrimination: considering all information product of the professional transactions confidential.

9. Relationship with the institution

Librarians should distinguish their personal interest from those of the institution, so they should not profit, from its relations with, or from those of the colleagues and users, in their own economic benefit or image.
They should ensure the integrity of the institution and collaborate in the attainment of its objectives, without affecting the information services provided.

What is stipulated in this Code, is mandatory for the graduates of national schools as well as for the graduates of foreign schools in view of article 50 of the Regulation Law of the article 5 of the Constitution, stipulates the sanctions for the professionals who do not obey the compliance of their professional duties.

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