Jamaica Library Association

Code of Ethics

From the Jamaica Library Association's constitution rules, regulations and code of ethics (as revised 1991).

Purpose

This code of ethics provides basic guidelines of conduct and performance for all persons who, being members of the Jamaica Library Association, have declared their dedication to the promotion of libraries and information centres in Jamaica, and who by their training and/or experience are willing to contribute to the establishment and management of libraries and information centres.

For all members of the Association

Every member of the Association has a responsibility to promote the development and maintenance of high standards of performance in libraries, to ensure that access to accurate, up-to-date and impartial information is easily available to every citizen of the country, and at all times, to support the work and programmes of the Association.

For librarians

This section provides basic standards of performance for all persons who by their qualifications, training and experience are able to apply their professional judgement in the establishment and management of libraries and information centres as well as the selection, organization, retrieval and use of all information material. This section assumes that the librarian has implicit responsibilities which are characterised as follows:

  1. The Profession
    1. In view of the librarian's personal and professional responsibility to society, it behoves him/her at all times to invoke only the best professional judgement based upon acquired knowledge and training.
    2. The librarian, in all his/her professional activities, must be guided by the principle of service rather than personal expediency or gain.
    3. The librarian should endeavour to build a strong, closely-knit professional association, in which the strength and activity of the group are enhanced by his/her own diligent and considered participation and promotion.
    4. The librarian should actively strive to improve his/her own professional development and that of all other librarians. This should be achieved by participating in and promoting continuing education and training, both formally and informally.
  2. To Employing Authorities

    3. The librarian should carry out in good faith, the objectives and policies of the governing authority with regard to customary standards of trust and loyalty without compromising professional principles.

  3. To Users

    4. Every genuine user of the library has the right of access to all recorded information through collections acquired by the library or through inter-library co-operation. It is the responsibility of the librarian to make information easily available, in keeping with the institution's stated procedures, without any form of bias.

    The librarian should respect the confidentiality of any information revealed by the user in the course of research.

  4. To Colleagues

The librarian should recognise that each individual has a unique contribution to make to the organization and at all times should apply the highest personal standards of courtesy, respect, fairness, objectivity, and understanding in dealing with staff.

Jamaica Library Association
P.O. Box 58, Kingston 5
Fax: + 1 - 809 9262188 / 9271926
E-mail: pkerr@uwimona.edu.jm

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