Libraries and Data Ethics: Teaching a Data Ethics Course to a National Audience

Background: As more libraries provide data services and analyze their own data on library collections and services, it is important for librarians to be informed on the possible ethical implications of how data is collected, stored, and disseminated. Using student feedback on a pilot course on data ethics for librarians, the authors expanded the pilot to include an additional class session and to accommodate a larger class size. Working with a national library organization, the authors ran the expanded class for a national audience.

Description: Before expanding the class, librarians reviewed student comments from the pilot course. Students requested more time for discussion as well as more information on implications in libraries specifically. The expanded class on data ethics for librarians included four classes: (1) An overview of data ethics and ethical decision-making; (2) Data collection; (3) Data communication, including data visualization; and (4) Data ethics and technology in libraries specifically. The fourth class was added to address student feedback. Each class included a guest speaker with research experience and expertise in a specific ethical area. Additionally, each class was designed to allow for significant student discussion on the lecture topic and on the guest speaker’s topic. The expanded class has been taught once, through a national library organization. The national library organization helped perform outreach to expand the course’s reach, with students from across the country from a wide variety of organizations.

Conclusion: Students were surveyed about the class after the expanded class was taught. Over 95% of respondents noted that the class was engaging, informative, and led by a knowledgeable instructor. Students did note that the classes could have used longer breaks and a slower pace to help students internalize the new information. The students appreciated the guest speakers, with many survey respondents writing in about specific speakers and their perspectives. Future iterations of the class will respond to these comments and integrate longer times for breaks and further student discussion.