Designing a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians.

OBJECTIVE: Developing and promoting professional ethics principles for clinical librarians can help the health care system balance the interests of all stakeholders, including clinical librarians, health care professionals, and patients. Therefore, the goal of this study was to design a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians. METHODS: The authors conducted a descriptive applied study using literature review and the delphi method. The delphi panel included eleven experts in medical librarianship, library and information sciences, or information sciences and knowledge studies. RESULTS: After the delphi rounds, five concepts and forty-six components were identified and confirmed to provide a model of professional ethics excellence for clinical librarians. The highest-rated concept was excellence in communication. The highest-rated component was mastery in developing search strategies in information resources and databases. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying and applying principles of professional ethics among clinical librarians can enhance the professionalization of clinical librarians and result in better information services for physicians. Furthermore, incorporating these principles into the curriculum for health sciences library and information sciences students or into workshops for active clinical librarians can further formalize the profession and practice of evidence-based medicine.

The impact of institutional ethics on academic health sciences library leadership: a survey of academic health sciences library directors.

Ethical behavior in libraries goes beyond service to users. Academic health sciences library directors may need to adhere to the ethical guidelines and rules of their institutions. Does the unique environment of an academic health center imply different ethical considerations? Do the ethical policies of institutions affect these library leaders? Do their personal ethical considerations have an impact as well? In December 2013, a survey regarding the impact of institutional ethics was sent to the director members of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. The objective was to determine the impact of institutional ethics on these leaders, whether through personal conviction or institutional imperative.

A comparative analysis of moral principles and behavioral norms in eight ethical codes relevant to health sciences librarianship, medical informatics, and the health professions.

OBJECTIVE: Based on the authors' shared interest in the interprofessional challenges surrounding health information management, this study explores the degree to which librarians, informatics professionals, and core health professionals in medicine, nursing, and public health share common ethical behavior norms grounded in moral principles. METHODS: Using the "Principlism" framework from a widely cited textbook of biomedical ethics, the authors analyze the statements in the ethical codes for associations of librarians (Medical Library Association [MLA], American Library Association, and Special Libraries Association), informatics professionals (American Medical Informatics Association [AMIA] and American Health Information Management Association), and core health professionals (American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, and American Public Health Association). This analysis focuses on whether and how the statements in these eight codes specify core moral norms (Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, and Justice), core behavioral norms (Veracity, Privacy, Confidentiality, and Fidelity), and other norms that are empirically derived from the code statements. RESULTS: These eight ethical codes share a large number of common behavioral norms based most frequently on the principle of Beneficence, then on Autonomy and Justice, but rarely on Non-Maleficence. The MLA and AMIA codes share the largest number of common behavioral norms, and these two associations also share many norms with the other six associations. IMPLICATIONS: The shared core of behavioral norms among these professions, all grounded in core moral principles, point to many opportunities for building effective interprofessional communication and collaboration regarding the development, management, and use of health information resources and technologies.

Health sciences librarians' awareness and assessment of the Medical Library Association Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship: the results of a membership survey.

OBJECTIVE: The Medical Library Association (MLA) Board of Directors and president charged an Ethical Awareness Task Force and recommended a survey to determine MLA members' awareness of and opinions about the current Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship. METHODS: THE TASK FORCE AND MLA STAFF CRAFTED A SURVEY TO DETERMINE: (1) awareness of the MLA code and its provisions, (2) use of the MLA code to resolve professional ethical issues, (3) consultation of other ethical codes or guides, (4) views regarding the relative importance of the eleven MLA code statements, (5) challenges experienced in following any MLA code provisions, and (6) ethical problems not clearly addressed by the code. RESULTS: Over 500 members responded (similar to previous MLA surveys), and while most were aware of the code, over 30% could not remember when they had last read or thought about it, and nearly half had also referred to other codes or guidelines. The large majority thought that: (1) all code statements were equally important, (2) none were particularly difficult or challenging to follow, and (3) the code covered every ethical challenge encountered in their professional work. IMPLICATIONS: Comments provided by respondents who disagreed with the majority views suggest that the MLA code could usefully include a supplementary guide with practical advice on how to reason through a number of ethically challenging situations that are typically encountered by health sciences librarians.

Bibliotecología y estudios culturales: elementos teóricos que posibilitan su vinculación / Library Science and cultural studies: theoretical aspects that make its connection possible

Se demuestra la posibilidad de establecer una provechosa relación disciplinaria entre los estudios culturales y la Bibliotecología y se explica su objeto de estudio desde una perspectiva social. Se profundiza en la significación de dichos estudios en las investigaciones bibliotecológicas y en los elementos que se han de tener en cuenta para la investigación de las prácticas bibliotecarias desde el enfoque sociocultural, con énfasis en la interrelación sujeto usuario-sujeto bibliotecario. Se emplearon los métodos histórico-lógico, inductivo-deductivo, analítico-sintético y de análisis de contenido para la interpretación de los datos, la explicación de las relaciones y las valoraciones que se consideraron pertinentes. En el artículo se intenta ir más allá de los estudios descriptivos que han predominado en las investigaciones tradicionales, en gran medida limitados a la actividad técnica en el interior de la institución, con el objetivo de poder explicar transcendentales procesos no visibles de la actividad bibliotecaria y así comprender a la biblioteca como un espacio intercultural de diálogo y participación creadora, capaz de contribuir a la transformación sociocomunitaria en pro del enaltecimiento humano.(AU)

The possibility of establishing a beneficial relationship between cultural studies and library science and its objective study from a social perspective is shown. The paper delves into the significance of cultural studies and library science research and takes into account the elements of library science research from a sociocultural approach, with an emphasis on the librarian/user interrelationship. Logical and historical, inductive-deductive, analytic-synthetic methods as well as content analysis for data interpretation, the explanation of the relationships and values that are considered relevant were used. The article attempts to move beyond descriptive studies that have dominated traditional research, largely limited to technical activity within the institution, in order to explain the unseen processes of library activity and thus, to understand the library as a cultural space for dialogue and creative participation, capable of contributing to the sociocommunity for human progress.(AU)

Autores españoles en la biblioteca ideal de Gabriel Naudé (1627): una visión europea de la cultura y la ciencia españolas a comienzos del XVII / Spanish authors in the ideal library of Gabriel Naudé (1627): an European view of the Spanish culture and science at the beginning of the XVIIth

Se analizan las sugerencias bibliográficas de autores españoles mencionados en Advis pourdresser une bibliotheque (1627) de Gabriel Naudé, excelente observatorio de la cultura europea que ofrece un interesante reflejo de la ciencia y la cultura españolas a comienzos del siglo XVII. Este artículo repasa una visión extranjera de la cultura española en un momento histórico crucial (AU)

This article aims to analyze a European view of the 17th century Spanish culture. Naude’s Advispour dresser une bibliothèque (1627) —translated twice into English: Instructions concerning erecting of a library (1661) and Advice on establishing a library (1950)— represents a wide set of bibliographic recommendations that constitute, among many other things, an excellent observatory of the Spanish culture in such a delicate time (AU)

Algunas reflexiones sobre la ética de los profesionales de la información y la bibliotecología / Some considerations on professional ethics in information and bibliotecology

En este artículo se realizan algunas reflexiones sobre ética, moral y ética profesional, en particular se hace referencia a la ética en la bibliotecología, las ciencias de la información y su relación con el desarrollo impetuoso de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones. Se define la aplicación de los principios éticos en el desempeño de las funciones, la toma de decisiones, acciones, prestigio y competencia en el contexto social de los servicios de gestión de información en salud. Se analiza la ética desde el punto de vista del comportamiento, el cual es un aspecto esencial para el adecuado ejercicio de la profesión en cualquier institución de información en la que se labora. Se aborda un conjunto de códigos de ética del profesional de la información y la bibliotecología y se identifican los lineamientos contemplados en cada uno de ellos(AU)

This article develops some considerations on ethics, moral and professional ethics particularly in reference to the ethics of Bibliotecology , the sciences of information and their relation with the impetuous advances in the development of Communication and Information Technology. Thus the paper defines the application of the ethical principles in the development the functions, decision taking, actions, prestige and competence in the social environment of the services of the Health Information Management. Ethics is analyzed from the standpoint of behavior, which is an essential aspect for the optimum practice of the profession in any institution of information in which the professionals of this field work. A group of professional ethic codes for Information and Bibliotecology are approached and the guidelines for each of them are also identified in this search(AU)