Andromeda. (2014, October 8). Ebook choices and the missing soul of librarianship. [Blog]. Retrieved from https://andromedayelton.com/2014/10/08/ebooks-choices-and-the-missing-soul-of-librarianship/
As electronic, online resources become more popular as library provided content, librarians cannot ignore the privacy issues that come with such materials. The author of this article points out that information gathering is considered best-practice in computer programming, and our patrons may unknowingly expose a great deal of the private information with using online resources. The author is particularly concerned with information about reading habits that may be gathered automatically by ebook programs, information that all the ethics of the professional say should remain private.
The article offers few solutions, but the author is adamant that librarians insist on privacy rights from ebook vendors. Librarians must force ebook publishers and vendors to change the status quo of their business before we fully adopt an ebook paradigm.
I am not sure how realistic the author’s proposals are. At this point, services like Overdrive have become so ubiquitous that we may already be past the tipping point on electronic privacy. However, I do believe that libraries have a responsibility to their users to ensure that everyone understands what privacy rights they may be giving up in when using ebooks.
As a teacher librarian, this is particularly concerning to me. I want my students to know and value their right to privacy, and I want to ensure that I am not accidentally exposing their data. Partly this is accomplished by educating our district ITS department on the importance of judging programs and vendors by their commitment to student privacy. Another important part, though, is educating the students about their rights and responsibilities.
This article was written 2 years ago, so some of the technical aspect may be out of date, but the overall thrust is an important reminder for all librarians that our the theoretical ethics of the profession may, at times, be in conflict with current practices as we adopt a greater online presence.
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