T. Scott writes an interesting post on the MLA Connections blog about MLA President Mary Ryan's task force looking into MLA's Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship. Specifically Mary is interested in conflict of interest issues and how they might apply to the Code and MLA disclosure policies.
It would seem that institutions' policies on conflict of interest are varied across the United States. Scott mentions a story about a vendor withdrawing their sponsorship of a conference because of the organizing library's institutional conflict of interest policies prohibit it. I remember going to a conference (can't remember where and when) there was a bunch of us librarians on the airport shuttle going to the hotel. Once we found out we were all librarians we got to chatting. The topic came up about the free shuttle bus transportation, sponsored by a vendor, that provided attendees with a ride to/from the conference and the hotel. One of the librarians mentioned as a government employee she was not allowed to take the shuttle bus because it would be considered a conflict of interest. She had to either walk (too far), take public transportation, or rent a car.
I am all for full disclosure and trying to prevent conflicts of interest but this instance just seemed to be taking the policy to the extreme. I think MLA's Code of Ethics and disclosure policies are important. However, as Scott mentions "each of has to live within the rules established by the institutions that employ us" and I wonder how effective or helpful MLA's policies would be to deal with the broad range of institutional policies that its membership adhere to.

It is something to mull over. If you have any thoughts, consider registering with MLA Connections and commenting on the topic.

Labels: Leadership, MLA