As librarians and researchers alike grapple with new technologies and methodologies for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data, they must also grapple with corresponding ethical issues. In order to assist librarians with these concerns, this mini-course aims to provide an intellectual grounding for the recognition, analysis, and resolution of ethical issues, including but not limited to ethical problems in data visualization, data sharing, and data collection. The series focuses on issues that health sciences librarians may face, particularly regarding human subjects and patient data, but it will be generalizable to the larger library community.
This series is presented by the National Center for Data Services (NCDS) of the Network of the National Library of Medicine.
This is a 4-part class. When you register, you are committing to attending all 4 sessions. MLA CE credit (8 hrs) is only available for attending all 4 sessions of the course.
Dates and descriptions for all 4 sessions:
All 4 sessions will be held @ 10PT/11MT/12CT/1ET (120 minutes each).
- Overview of Data Ethics and Ethical Frameworks (March 31, 2022) (Slides)
In the first session of Ethical Considerations of Data, students will be introduced to data ethics, key regulations related to data ethics, and several ethical frameworks and values to consider when approaching data ethics issues at their library. Case studies specific to libraries will be used to highlight the impact of data ethics issues on librarians and their work. Presenter: Nicole Contaxis
- Ethics and Data Collection (April 7, 2022) (Slides)
In the second session of Ethical Considerations of Data, students will learn about types of data collection in health and clinical settings, the ethical implications for which types of data are collected and why and discuss several case studies related to clinical trials and rural health. Further, we will use breakout groups to consider the intersections of data collection, community, technology, consent, and data privacy. Presenter: Genevieve Milliken
- Ethical Data Communication (April 14, 2022) (Slides) | (Guest Lecture)
In the third portion of Ethical Considerations of Data, students will learn about different concerns around presenting data driven findings. Students will come away from the class able to discuss benefits and drawbacks of simplification of data for communication, as well as able to explain challenges in presenting ambiguity. Finally, they will be able to explain how design choices contain rhetorical decisions that are meant to sway the views of audiences. Presenter: Fred LaPolla
- Ethical Technology and Data Use in Libraries (April 21, 2022) (Slides)
In the fourth and final session of Ethical Considerations of Data, students will be introduced to issues concerning user data and automated systems in libraries. This will include examples about vendor agreements, learning analytics, and artificial intelligence. This session will also explore ways to work with data while keeping in mind the ethical considerations discussed in this class series. Presenter: Justin de la Cruz
Upon attendance, attendees will be able to
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Identify major ethical frameworks.
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Apply major ethical frameworks to issues related to data management, sharing, and visualization.
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Explain ethical considerations for ongoing challenges faced in libraries, including those related to data collection and communication specifically.