Need of a Professional Code for Librarians

Ethical issues are common, at all levels of professional activity. Therefore professional associations lay down codes of conduct and ethics for maintaining members' behaviour up to expected levels.Codes of conduct can succeed only if the profession as a whole feels responsible for its implementation. If the professionals as members of their profession fail to be responsible and do not take action against those who do not observe the code, the code becomes ineffective.In accordance of these, Sri Lanka Library Association approved the Professional Code of Conduct and Ethics and published it in 1998. This paper explains the need for such a code and briefs on the code prepared for LIS professionals in the country a decade ago.Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka. Vol.13 (Issue 1). 2009 61-69