Professional Ethics Presented by: Robyn Rhoton, Rikki Carter, and Steve Reest

Case Study 5.21 Buchanan & Henderson, 2009, pg. 113 Library Director sided with library Board instead of Library Staff Personnel, Budget, and policies Staff had concern of director’s contract Contract was housed at library and request had to go through Director’s office Contract was not easy to get access to, even though contract was a public record Director received higher salary than advertised Because she was not using the city’s health care benefits Receive a cash bonus if she stayed under budget for “Judicious Collection development policy.” Receive a cash payout if her contract was terminated The board did not see any issues with these contract terms

Ethics, Morality, and Law How does ethics play a role with the contract being held in the director office? How does morality play a role with the director taking cash bonuses for saving money on the collection and not giving it back to the library? How does law play a role with the boards decision to allow the director to receive a higher salary, because she did not choose to take the health benefits?

Step 1: Get the Facts Straight Library employees are concerned with Director Contract Library Director contract is open to public Contract housed at library and all requests to view must go through director Director not immediately willing to release contract Director was not found in violation of contract Contract contained 3 questionable items Higher than advertised salary in lieu of benefits Cash bonus if library could save money on collection Cash payout for terminated contract

Step 2: Identify the Moral Dilemma Employee Dilemma: Director is obligated to maintain positive working relationships with employees Director has obligation to stay within budget and has to keep the Board happy because ultimately they control the budget Personal Value Dilemma: Director has a right to fair compensation Director, even as public employee, has privacy rights Ultimately, if the collection is under budget everyone benefits Librarian Dilemma: Librarian must try to resolve conflicts between tenured and nontenured employees in an ethical way Librarians should avoid conflicts of interest

Step 3: Evaluate the Moral Dilemma The argument of Business Relationships – conflict of interest The argument for Professional Responsibilities- maintaining good community and employees The argument for Service – allow contract access

Step 4: Test your solution Library Contracts should be housed off library site to allow access without intimidation Money saving measures should be well documented Bonus in lieu of benefits as oppose to higher based salary No bonus based on saving money on collections. This creates a conflict of interest for the Library Director. Have a open door policy for staff

Newspaper Articles In Support of Articles Receiving higher salary by saving money for not taking Health Care Benefits Receiving cash bonus for saving money to develop library Technology program “Letter to the editor” from a government employee discussing director’s right to privacy Against Articles Receiving cash bonus from saving money on collection development Having Director’s contract housed in library building “Letter to the editor” against higher salary in lieu of benefits, should be given as a bonus structure.

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Citation Buchannan, E., & Henderson, K. (2009). Case studies in library and information science ethics. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. Davis, M. (1988). Professionalism Means Putting Your Profession First. Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, 2, Latham, S. (2002). Medical Professionalism: A Parsonian View. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 69, (6), Salpeter, M. (2013, May 15). 5 things employers don't want you to know about salary and benefits [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from American Library Association. Code of ethics of the American library association. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2014 from Hlotke, S. G. (1997, September 17). Library Director Given A 4% Raise and $2,000 Bonus. Chicago Tribune News. Retrieved February 2014 from Gelbart, M. (2010, July 21). Controller wants former library director Elliot Shelkrot to repay bonuses. Philly.com. Retrieved February 2014 from