The triad identity, information and ethics in Brazilian librarianship: analysis of the librarian code of ethics

Abstract

Discusses the possibilities of establishing the relationship among the terms identity, ethics and information observing the configuration of ethics identity that can influence the behavior of information professionals and users. It considers the ethic as a philosophical and political condition that must be related to everyday events, in order to develop a more effective research on the moral behavior of mankind. To do so, certifies the importance of historicist ethics to devise a more accurate meaning for the term in question. It poses as the problem the following questions: the librarian code of ethics is well prepared? What are the weaknesses and qualitative points of the document? The code of ethics has been followed by the librarian’s category? It examines the librarian code of ethics considering all the qualities and weaknesses, and make suggestions for improving it. It also verify if the above considerations permit to infer that if attitudes do not look consistent with the dignity of the profession it would be more appropriate to be submitted to an Ethics Committee - established to assess actions that apparently did not fit in a Code of Professional Conduct as an Ethics Code, with requirements for setting standards of conduct. Finally suggests that the code need to be reformulated and much of what has been proclaimed has not been fulfilled in everyday work practices of the librarian.