CILIP | Professional Ethics

One of the hallmarks of a profession is the framework of values that underpin the work of practitioners in the sector. Amongst the first decisions of CILIP Council following unification in 2002 was to commission the development of a set of Ethical Principles and a Code of Professional Practice for Library and Information Professionals. It later also established an Ethics Panel, currently chaired by Margaret Watson, to keep the Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Practice under review and to be a source of confidential advice to members facing ethical issues in their work.

A consideration of ethical issues is an essential quality of the “reflective” practitioner. There are rarely “right” or “wrong” answers to ethical dilemmas but more often balances that have to be found between conflicting principles. As part of its work the Ethics Panel commissioned InfoResponse Associates and Oxford Business Intelligence (Sylvia Simmons and Jonathan Gordon-Till) to develop an ethics website for CILIP members to encourage discussion and debate on ethical matters and to be a resource for those looking at ethical issues. The website was launched at the CILIP Umbrella Conference 2007 (28-30 June 2007).

InfoEthics – CILIP Information Ethics website

If you have any queries relating to professional ethics then please complete the feedback form below.

Introduction to Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Practice

Ethical Principles

Code of Professional Practice

Code of Ethics feedback form