Last revised May 3, 2007.
 
Course Outline for IRLS 520, Section 031: Ethics for Library and Information Professionals

Semester:  Spring 2007
Instructor:  Kay Mathiesen

The homework assignments are not due until the first and second weeks of class by midnight friday. However, it is highly advisable that you do as much of the reading and short assignments ahead of time.

Assignments should be submitted via the appropriate d2l drop box. Please also bring hard copies of your work to class.

Date/Topic Readings  Assignments
Weekend 1 (5/19 and 5/20) 
Introduction
The Mission of the Information Professional
Ethical Theories
What is Information Ethics?
  • Ortega y Gasset
  • Wengert
  • Codes of Ethics 
  • Spinello
  • Woodward (both articles) 
  • Moor
  • Mathiesen
  • Floridi
  1. Participate in The Morality Play. Print out and bring your results to class. 
  2. Write a PRE for the Gassett, Wengert, Moor, Mathiesen, and Floridi articles. 
  3. Describe a concrete ethical decision that information professional might have to make. Then,
    • Explain how a utilitarian would go about deciding this case.  
    • Explain how Kant would go about deciding this case.
    • Explain how Ross would go about deciding this case. 
    • Explain how a rights theorist would go about deciding this case. 
    (Be sure to refer to the specifics of the case in your answers.)
May 24   Project proposal Due
Weekend 2 (5/26 and 5/27) 
Intellectual Freedom
Access to Information
Privacy
Intellectual Property and Copyright
  • Mill 
  • Doyle
  • Wolkoff
  • Nesta/Blanke
  • Baldwin
  • Sheerin 
  • Thompson
  • Garoogian
  • Copyright
    • Read Stanford's Copyright and Fair Use Overview: "Copyright FAQ's" A-D, "Fair Use" A-C, and "Public Domain" A-B
    • Browse Harper
  • Hettinger
  • Vaidhyanathan

1. Write a PRE for each of the readings (except those on copyright).

2. Copyright assignment: Give an example of a use that a library patron would wish to do that would count as "fair use," explain why it is fair use. Give an example of a use that a library patron would wish to do that would not count as "fair use." (Note, patrons can include teachers or professors in an educational setting.)

May 28-29
Midterm Exam on Ethical Theories
  • Midterm Exam posted at 8 a.m. on May 28th; due by midnight on May 29th.
    • Weekend 3 (6/2 and 6/3)
    Student Presentations
    • Individual Project Due by Midnight June 3rd.