A library is a democratic institution which guarantees the continuity of culture and knowledge in society. It ensures a right of choice and expression for every citizen. The mission of a library is to collect, to store and distribute information, knowledge and experience encoded in documents for each individual and society as a whole.

Lithuanian librarians perceiving their responsibility and impact on creation of an open society, define the essential guidelines of professional librarianship in the librarians’ code of ethics.

1. A librarian provides quality service to a community and individual users without regard to their national, racial, social, religious, gender, and age differences. The relations of a librarian and a user are founded on mutual respect and tolerance.

2. A librarian defends freedom of reading, opposes censorship, and provides possibilities of free access to information and knowledge for the users. A librarian respects copyright and treats the intellectual property according to legal rules.

3. A librarian respects a right of a user to privacy and does not distribute confidential information.

4. A librarian is loyal to the goals and aims of a library. He/she consciously forms a positive image of a library and advocates the prestige of the profession in society.

5. A librarian supports his/her colleagues, respects their abilities and helps in difficult professional situations. The problems of a library are solved jointly inside the institution.

6. A librarian bases his action and decisions on professional motives and does not use his position for personal interests.

7. The primary guidelines of librarian’s work are professionalism and cooperation, therefore each librarian seeks to update his/her knowledge and skills. Librarians are ready to cooperate with other organisations and institutions. A librarian respects and values professional work of others and ethical norms.

The observation of the provisions of the Code of Ethics of Lithuanian Librarians is the matter of self-consciousness and conscience of every professional.