Presentation and Handout created by:

Tracie Etheridge, Heidi Hansen, Kathryn Loch, Shannon Savitskie

Ethical Scenario:

You are working a public reference desk and a parent comes up to you with a junior high school
student’s assignment in hand. The assignment asks the student to do library research and write up the
results. The parent is without her child and requests that you do everything on the research list so that
she may bring the research home to her child. How do you react to the request?

Would your answer change if the student was with the parent?

If the parent comes in alone, there are several options:

o The reference librarian actually locates and pulls all of the information (print and database) for the parent to
take home to the student
o The reference librarian locates call numbers in the catalog for the parent and directs the patron to the stacks
to browse for the student
o The reference librarian instructs parent in use of online catalog and databases; tell the parent that the student
can access a lot of the information at home and on their own or with their help too.

If the parent comes in with the student, there are some options:

o The reference librarian actually locates and pulls all of the information (print, database, and Internet) for the
student to take home
o The reference librarian locates call numbers in the catalog for the student and directs him/her to browse the
stacks to find the materials
o The reference librarian provides short, individual instruction to the student in how to conduct library
research (Beck and Turner, 2001)
o Begin by asking the student questions to jump start critical thinking and problem solving
o Instruct the student in how to use the online print catalog and databases (Beck and Turner, 2001)
o Instruct the student in advanced Internet searching beyond Web browsing (Chen, 2003)
o Verbalize each step in the search as a strategy to help the student store the information in his/her
memory
o Have the student actually do the hands-on keyboarding as you talk the student through each process
so that the student feels independent and responsible for the research process
o Provide the student with handouts and other materials to take away and reference later
Create quick organizers as you work with the student mapping out the steps as you go
through the mini-lesson
Create advance handouts to have on hand at the reference desk, answering specific questions
a student might have and/or helping to organize the student’s research (Beck and Turner,
2001)
-The following sources were used to support our ethical scenarios-
Beck, S., & Turner, N. (2001). On the fly BI: Reaching and teaching from the reference desk. The Reference
Librarian, 34, 83-96.
Summary:
Here are some research techniques at the reference desk that are geared toward students:
Have students verbalize what they want/need/have
Have students use the keyboard as you show them what to do
Have mini-lessons (pathfinders) to orients users to library resources on a given topic

Chelton, M.K. (2002). The “Problem Patron” public libraries created. The Reference Librarian, 36, 23-32.
Summary:

How to help the difficult library patron:

Accept the fact that homework questions will always be a part of public library reference services
Keep in touch with schools ahead of time to find out what might be required when during the school year
Prepare pathfinders on frequently requested topics
Change collection development practices to purchase materials to meet school needs
Prepare handouts to help parents help their kids with homework
Set up a formal homework center for after-school use

Hauptman, Robert. (1988). Ethical challenges in librarianship. Oryx Press

Summary:

Question posed: How do public libraries deal with parents doing research for their children?
Librarians should aid in whatever they can
Two respondents did feel that it is unethical for parents to do this but that there is nothing a library can do
about it

-Additional Sources-
Dewdney, P. and G. Michell. 1997. Asking ‘‘why’’ questions in the reference interview: A theoretical
justification. Library Quarterly 67: 50-57.
Chelton, Mary K. (1997). Three in five public library users are youth: Implications of survey results from
the National Center for Education Statistics, Public Libraries, 36(2), 104-109.
Chen. S. L. (2003). Searching the online catalog and the World Wide Web. Journal of Educational Media &
Library Sciences, 41(1), 2 9-43.
American Library Association. (1999, April 27). Competencies for librarians serving children in public
libraries, Revised Edition.
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=childrens&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.c
fm&ContentID=13925
Broderick, D. (1982). Value laden barriers to information dissemination. The Reference Librarian,
4(Summer), 19-23.
Gross, M. (1995) Imposed Query. RQ, 35(1), 236-243. Retrieved July 26, 2006, from Extended Academic
ASAP database.
Parents'Presence Poses No Problem. (1986). American Libraries, 668.
Lubans Jr., J. (1982). Teaching the user: ethical considerations. The Reference Librarian, 4(Summer), 89-
98.