NYT's "Ethicist" column on freelancing librarians

THE ETHICIST: After-Hours Research
By RANDY COHEN
The New York Times
Published: October 31, 2004

I am a librarian at a small college. Occasionally I accept paid editing jobs from faculty members, but I draw the line at taking money for research assistance, even if it is unrelated to the work they do at the college. It makes me uncomfortable to accept money for something that's part of my job. Am I being too rigid about how I use my own time? Hillary Corbett, Boston

You've certainly erred on the side of scrupulousness.

If someone offers to pay you to do after-hours research (which no doubt sounds saucier than it is), you must explain that you provide such assistance at no cost during business hours. If he or she still wishes to employ you, no problem. A plumber who plumbs after dark is not dishonorable; she's hard-working -- a librarian, likewise.

There is a risk that hoping to land lucrative private clients, you would slack off during office hours. But if you are alert to that peril and if your school does not prohibit freelance work, then go to it. Ethics does not require us to avoid every conceivable chance of crossing a line; it simply requires that we do not, in fact, cross it.

Some private schools in New York, wary of a similar conflict of interest, do not allow teachers to be paid for tutoring students from their own schools. While this removes the temptation, perhaps, to skip over the law of gravity in physics class so you can get hired to tutor ignorant students, it is only a partial solution. What tends to emerge is an informal system of referrals: a teacher from one school steers her befuddled charge to a colleague from another and vice versa. In the end, ethical behavior relies on the integrity of each teacher.

There is another, more potent, argument against your taking these jobs: doing so chafes your own scruples. Much can be said for heeding your conscience, even when it is (in my view) excessively strict. You'll get a better night's sleep.

SourceThe New York Times

---

Perhaps my thoughts after reading this are too literal. However; I'm posting my tossed-out reply that I posted to the NYT forum on this column:

Working as a reference librarian myself, I see no problem with librarians taking on freelance editing assignmeents.

It appears that the librarian in this week's question is a reference librarian, researching information for faculty members. I agree that this work should not be charged for by the librarian. However; editing work done by the faculty members is completely out of the scope of your typical reference librarian's job. If a researcher wanted me to edit their work during the day, I'd flat-out refuse: I'm not paid to do so by my employer. If the same researcher asked me to edit their work on a freelance basis, I'd see no moral quandry. Actually, I'd probably offer my husband's services - he makes his living as an editor. :)

I'll add here that the chances of me being offered a freelance editing job are zero: I work at a bank, researching for economists. They'd be better off getting one of their colleagues to help them out. I'd just ruin all their hard work!

Comments

[Nolly]

Maybe it's me, but it seems like your response doesn't quite address the question. What if one of the economists wanted your help researching some sort of personal project, not work related at all, and offered to pay you to do so after hours?