Ukranian Library Association

Code of Ethics of a Librarian

Approved by the Conference of Ukranian Library Association 30 May, 1996

This Code aims at defining and implementing into life principles of professional ethics of library workers and all those providing library and informational services under conditions of building up democratic and independent Ukraine. In a democratic society with well-informed citizens library workers' mission is to promote the establishment of the principles of intellectual freedom, free expression and unrestricted circulation of ideas and information, freedom to read.

Librarians are ready to cooperate with all organizations, institutions, societies and individual citizens interested in the development of librarianship in Ukraine and providing to its citizens full and objective information through free and equal access to library materials and resources.

Ukrainian Library Association approves the following major moral and ethical norms of professional library activities:

• we abide by the common human principles of morals, humanism, pluralism of ideas, respect for an individual as a supreme value of the society irrespective of social status, religion, nationality, sex, age, political views etc.;
• we respect human dignity and exercise the right of an individual to obtain information;
• we live up to the principles of intellectual and informational freedom;
• we oppose the attempts to censor reading and library collections;
• we protect the right of library users to the confidentiality of information and provide confidentiality of library and informational services;
• we are held morally responsible for timely, complete and objective information provided in the process of rendering library and information services;
• we preserve and replenish spiritual values of Ukrainian nation, promote the development of ethnic cultures;
• we strive to shape ethical and aesthetical ideal of an individual, encourage moral and ethical searches of readers in their apprehension of the surrounding world, avoiding ecological disaster, improving the well-being of the nation, understanding of the humanistic role and destination of an individual in the society;
• we are committed and competent in our profession, realize its humane mission; possess and continuously improve knowledge, skills and practices of library, bibliographic, information processes, organization of public use of documentary and informational resources;
• we keep and continue traditions of librarianship, promote the development of library science and practice;
• we encourage innovations, introduction of progressive information technologies;
• we do not tolerate getting personal benefit at the expense of readers, colleagues, library;
• we enhance the authority of library profession, attract gifted youth and help it to mature professionally;
• we show initiative, responsibility, discipline in professional activities;
• we foster harmonization of relationship in library community, development of moral self-consciousness in its members, mobilization of their spiritual potential for the solution of the tasks set by society before the libraries.

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