Standard 5.2 Professional Ethics: Candidates practice the ethical principles of their profession, advocate for intellectual freedom and privacy, and promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.
According to the Library Code of Ethics, all efforts should be made to resist censoring materials. Books are a freedom of expression; as such, patrons should use their own critical judgment when choosing what to read. One person cannot deem a book unfit to read for everyone. During my Selection and Use course I had the opportunity to respond to various scenarios dealing with readers’ rights that I will come across as a school librarian. Although I have not had the opportunity to model ethical principals as the school librarian, the scenarios below illustrate how I will conduct myself in the future with stakeholders when faced with intellectual freedom matters. In addition to my responsibilities for practicing and advocating intellectual freedom, I will need to promote and model digital citizenship. Through my responses to various real-life scenarios, and a lesson plan to teach classroom blogging etiquette, I model my professional ethics towards practicing, advocating and promoting intellectual freedom and digital citizenship.
The first scenario presented was one of a parent coming into the media center asking the school librarian to restrict her middle school son from checking out graphic novels. In order to practice the ethical principles of the profession, I cannot limit an individual’s freedom to choose what he or she reads. I can foresee this being a real issue with the parents who want to control what their child reads. Therefore, I realize that I will need to be ready to explain how the materials selected for a school library are chosen to support intellectual growth and individual interests. All the materials purchased follow very specific selection criteria. I will need to explain that graphic novels are chosen if they are age appropriate, connect to the curriculum, show diversity and/or are written by a reputable author. My knowledge of professional selection sources will provide me with evidence for purchasing graphic novels. It is essential to have at least two positive reviews deeming it an appropriate match for a middle school library. I realize now that my role will require me to serve all the school community, including parents. Understanding the reason why a parent is against graphic novels could help me to build my case for their importance in a middle school library. In an effort to educate the parent, I would direct her to Graphic Novels for Teens through VOYA and Booklist online. Resources such as these recommend titles for outstanding graphic novels. By looking at quality graphic novels on their own time, as a family, they might decide on their own selection criterion that satisfies both the parent and student.
The second scenario illustrates a school board member removing books from a high school library because a citizen complained about offensive language. This scenario was all too familiar to me because it happened at our school last year. It seems too often books are pulled off the shelf before the proper process for reconsideration has occurred. As the school librarian, I will need to advocate for intellectual freedom by first asking for the book to be returned to the library. It might be necessary for me to advocate that it is unethical to remove a book from a library before it has been taken through a review process. After speaking with the board member directly, it would be essential for me to speak with the citizen who brought up the complaint about the book. Before handing the citizen a Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form, I could use this opportunity to educate the citizen by explaining my selection criteria. I would suggest that he or she read the book first since the reconsideration form will ask for specific examples of why this book should be removed from the school library shelf. The book would then be returned to the shelf so it could continue to circulate until further notice came from my superior regarding the decision from the reconsideration committee.
In addition to practicing and advocating intellectual freedom, I will be accountable for teaching students their responsibilities when using online learning tools. During my internship at Cranberry Station Elementary, I had the opportunity to collaboratively teach a lesson to third grade students that promoted and modeled digital citizenship and responsibility through a classroom blog. I found that students were unsure how to use technology properly. I worked closely with a third grade teacher to design a project that would give students an authentic purpose for writing. The goal we created was for third grade students to practice safely using web 2.0 tools, specifically a classroom blog, in order to form and audience for responding to text. To introduce students to the concept of blogging, they watched a BrainPOP Jr. video, which emphasized the fact that whatever you post to a blog can be read by anyone. After the video, I took the conversation one step farther to discuss cyber bullying. To assess students’ knowledge of online responsibilities on the class blog, they responded to a quiz using ActiVotes. Students then had the opportunity to write their first blog post. During this lesson, students were highly motivated by this project which gave them a genuine purpose for writing while teaching ethical uses of web 2.0 tools. For the future, before students make their first blog post, I will instruct students to create a poster with their own rules when corresponding with others online. They could then sign the poster to show they understand their obligations. I believe that adding this portion to my lesson will reinforce digital citizenship responsibilities.
Digital citizenship is a way to actively prepare students for a world full of technology tools. In addition to preparing children to ethically navigate web 2.0 tools, I must be prepared to practice and advocate my students’ right to read. The American Library Association Code of Ethics states that it is the librarian’s job to protect the user’s right to privacy and confidentiality. I am to trust my students with what they choose to read and not require teacher or parent approval for students to check out age-appropriate materials. By practicing and modeling intellectual freedom, and teaching digital citizenship I will make certain that I am upholding the Library Bill of Rights.
The first scenario presented was one of a parent coming into the media center asking the school librarian to restrict her middle school son from checking out graphic novels. In order to practice the ethical principles of the profession, I cannot limit an individual’s freedom to choose what he or she reads. I can foresee this being a real issue with the parents who want to control what their child reads. Therefore, I realize that I will need to be ready to explain how the materials selected for a school library are chosen to support intellectual growth and individual interests. All the materials purchased follow very specific selection criteria. I will need to explain that graphic novels are chosen if they are age appropriate, connect to the curriculum, show diversity and/or are written by a reputable author. My knowledge of professional selection sources will provide me with evidence for purchasing graphic novels. It is essential to have at least two positive reviews deeming it an appropriate match for a middle school library. I realize now that my role will require me to serve all the school community, including parents. Understanding the reason why a parent is against graphic novels could help me to build my case for their importance in a middle school library. In an effort to educate the parent, I would direct her to Graphic Novels for Teens through VOYA and Booklist online. Resources such as these recommend titles for outstanding graphic novels. By looking at quality graphic novels on their own time, as a family, they might decide on their own selection criterion that satisfies both the parent and student.
The second scenario illustrates a school board member removing books from a high school library because a citizen complained about offensive language. This scenario was all too familiar to me because it happened at our school last year. It seems too often books are pulled off the shelf before the proper process for reconsideration has occurred. As the school librarian, I will need to advocate for intellectual freedom by first asking for the book to be returned to the library. It might be necessary for me to advocate that it is unethical to remove a book from a library before it has been taken through a review process. After speaking with the board member directly, it would be essential for me to speak with the citizen who brought up the complaint about the book. Before handing the citizen a Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form, I could use this opportunity to educate the citizen by explaining my selection criteria. I would suggest that he or she read the book first since the reconsideration form will ask for specific examples of why this book should be removed from the school library shelf. The book would then be returned to the shelf so it could continue to circulate until further notice came from my superior regarding the decision from the reconsideration committee.
In addition to practicing and advocating intellectual freedom, I will be accountable for teaching students their responsibilities when using online learning tools. During my internship at Cranberry Station Elementary, I had the opportunity to collaboratively teach a lesson to third grade students that promoted and modeled digital citizenship and responsibility through a classroom blog. I found that students were unsure how to use technology properly. I worked closely with a third grade teacher to design a project that would give students an authentic purpose for writing. The goal we created was for third grade students to practice safely using web 2.0 tools, specifically a classroom blog, in order to form and audience for responding to text. To introduce students to the concept of blogging, they watched a BrainPOP Jr. video, which emphasized the fact that whatever you post to a blog can be read by anyone. After the video, I took the conversation one step farther to discuss cyber bullying. To assess students’ knowledge of online responsibilities on the class blog, they responded to a quiz using ActiVotes. Students then had the opportunity to write their first blog post. During this lesson, students were highly motivated by this project which gave them a genuine purpose for writing while teaching ethical uses of web 2.0 tools. For the future, before students make their first blog post, I will instruct students to create a poster with their own rules when corresponding with others online. They could then sign the poster to show they understand their obligations. I believe that adding this portion to my lesson will reinforce digital citizenship responsibilities.
Digital citizenship is a way to actively prepare students for a world full of technology tools. In addition to preparing children to ethically navigate web 2.0 tools, I must be prepared to practice and advocate my students’ right to read. The American Library Association Code of Ethics states that it is the librarian’s job to protect the user’s right to privacy and confidentiality. I am to trust my students with what they choose to read and not require teacher or parent approval for students to check out age-appropriate materials. By practicing and modeling intellectual freedom, and teaching digital citizenship I will make certain that I am upholding the Library Bill of Rights.