Ethics of Database Use

An anonymous patron pointed out this New York Times Magazine Column "The Ethicist" (second entry) about sharing library database passwords. In this case a university library user’s password was offered a non-enrolled high school sibling. The Ethicist concludes that each "user must pay his or her fair share." Most university library database contracts provide for public access from within the library, however. This issue also comes up with serving non-affiliated users via consortial virtual reference systems.

September 7, 2003 by Uncategorized 1

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1 Response

  1. solidstate says:
    September 8, 2003 at 4:09 am

    Access by the rules
    Alums and non students at my academic library frequently request the access methods to online databases. The agreements the library signs with vendors puts boundaries on the people permitted access. That’s the nature of their business and our need to abide by these agreements/contracts. The vendors wish to make money and that can’t happen if everybody (and their brother) passes along the access codes to relatives, friends, or, buyers. That’s why consortium purchases can make more sense, especially in the public arena. The public library in my area has access to many databases that I can search (most remotely) without having to pay extra (well, besides taxes and the used book sale).

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