Librarians in top five professional groups for trustworthy information

Librarians are in the top five professional groups the public believe are most likely to provide trustworthy information, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by CILIP, the library and information association.

Medical staff topped a list of 10 professional groups with 74 per cent of British adults saying they would provide trustworthy information, followed by teachers and police officers (both at 49 per cent), librarians (46 per cent) and lawyers (39 per cent). Bottom of the list were politicians, with 2% of respondents saying they would provide trustworthy information.

CILIP says the poll reveals that has never been more important to find trusted information in order to make good, evidence-based decisions, yet it has never been more difficult. The vast majority of respondents agreed they trust information more when it’s from a professional.

The poll of 2,000 adults in Great Britain shows:

• 66 per cent agree that it is harder than ever to find trustworthy information;
• 84 per cent agree that they trust information more when it is given by a professional;
• 90 per cent agree that it is important to educate people on how to find trustworthy information; and
• Librarians were in the top five trusted professional groups out of the 10 tested, with 46 per cent of adults saying they would provide trustworthy information.  

Nick Poole Chief Executive of CILIP, the library and information association said: 'Without information we can trust it becomes almost impossible to make good decisions in life. Whether we’re getting medical advice, making a big decisions or understanding world events we need accurate, unbiased and evidence-based information.

'The responsibility of providing accurate information to support people and companies to make good decisions is something that we, as library and information professionals, take seriously. Which is why every CILIP member signs up to a code of ethics and has unrivalled opportunities to develop their skills and expertise.'

When asked which professional groups would provide trustworthy information, people said:

1. Medical staff, 74 per cent
2. Teachers, 49 per cent
3. Police officers, 49 per cent
4. Librarians, 46 per cent
5. Lawyers, 39 per cent
6. Economists, 20 per cent
7. Journalists, 6 per cent
8. Pollsters, 4 per cent
9. Estate agents, 3 per cent
10. Politicians, 2 per cent

The poll was commissioned by CILIP, the library and information association. CILIP provide support to information professionals throughout their careers to develop their skills, build their knowledge and demonstrate their professionalism.