Professional values in Norwegian librarianship

摘要

Value considerations and ethics are increasingly relevant in the library and information science (LIS) field, both in education, research and in the profession. Change management in LIS therefore needs input from studies of professional values among librarians and information professionals. The article presents some preliminary findings from the first survey of professional values in Norwegian librarianship. International surveys have shown that patron service, intellectual freedom, preservation of the record, equality of access, and information literacy are primary ethical and professional values for librarians and information professionals in many countries. The Norwegian survey in general supports these findings but also identifies and explains some nuances in value preferences among public librarians compared with college and university librarians.