Eng 333- Blog 2. on the ALA Code of Ethics

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics.cfm

In this blog I decided to write about a piece of writing I have to know well for my major of Library Science. I decided to review the American Library Association Code of Ethics for Librarians. The Code of Ethics is just how it sounds it’s a rule book of how librarians should act and behave in the workplace. It discusses the privacy of patrons to how to treat coworkers.  This Code of Ethics from ALA states that librarians must not censor any materials that it their job to get information to people no matter race, age, or background.  The Code of Ethics states that private interests are not mentioned it’s all about the interests of the patrons. The Code of Ethics states that a librarian must act in professional manner at all times whether to patrons or coworkers. There are huge debates and controversies that surround the ALA Code of Ethics, the main thing being that Librarians must put personal opinions aside and do their job. For example if a teenager came in the library and approached with questions on abortion, the librarian cannot make any assumptions about the teenager and let them checkout the material. The writers of the Code of Ethics is bounding it’s like the law of librarians. The intended audience is librarians. The writer is addressing these issues of Ethics so there is a clear understanding of how librarians should act and behave. The Code of Ethics is very authoritative because if librarians do not practice these and other writings they can easily be fired from their jobs. The writers are trying to establish an authoritative tone with the readers of the Code of Ethics. Also I believe they are trying to establish a type of relationship where they can serve patrons through their ethics. The writer’s choice of words establishes that the people reading the text are professionals. As surroundings the question of tying the Code of Ethics for librarians to the rhetorical situation is an easy tie.  The ALA Code of Ethics is clearly an appeal to Ethos an appeal to authority. The authoritative tone and clear cut rules it gives its readers makes the Code of Ethics easy to understand and very well written. Ethos is definitely an effective way to get your message across. Without Ethos in this or an authoritative stamp it would not be a very meaningful text. But because this text has the stamp of ALA it has a definitive form of authority.  Even the title gives this text a form of authority. So as I go about throughout my career I will keep in mind how important title and authority are to the reader. Overall the writers of the Code of Ethics did a great job at the balance of Ethos while having the text easy to understand and useful for the librarians. If they had to rewrite anything I would say to add things that librarians can do for patron’s specific things. But overall it’s very authoritative and right to the point.

Eng 333 intro blog 1

I am a senior at the University of Southern Mississippi studying Library and Information Science and minoring in Religion. I love reading young adult literature novels as well as religious texts. I love to sing and perform in plays as well. I am 22 years old. I also plan to do something in Christianity as far as teaching teenagers about Christ. I hope to have some type of ministry to teach young people that circumstances no matter how bad can be overcome with the help of Christ.  I don’t have a job right now but after I graduate I hope to work in a public or school library implementing programs for children. Although I have never had a job that pays, I have done many volunteer opportunities. I especially loved teaching Sunday school to pre-school aged children for three years. I like writing lyrics and poetry and keeping a journal. Journaling is my favorite kind of writing because I can keep it just for myself and most of the time it helps to sort your thoughts out. I have a variety when it comes to writing; I have been exposed to all types of writing due to my major. I have been exposed to writing in many different formats for research papers like APA format or MLA. I have also been exposed to free writing. My experience with writing would have to be that I am great at context and not so good on the mechanics. For me the best kind of writing comes when you can write about your own experiences.

Is there anything I hope to specifically learn in English 333? Well, I hope it helps me to better understand how to write papers and how to interpret the audience to whom I’m speaking. Aside from getting a good grade in this class, I hope to master the use of blogging so I can use that in my field of study for teenagers. I also hope to have a better understanding of the rhetorical situation and use that to the best of my ability the rest of my life. I have some concerns when it comes to the group assignment but I think overall this class will be beneficial.