Public library and information access: challenges for the information society in Brazil and Spain

Authors

  • Maria Cleide Rodrigues Bernardino Universidade Federal do Cariri – UFCA
  • Aurora Cuevas-Cerveró Universidad Complutense de Madrid – UCM
  • Emir José Suaiden Universidade de Brasília – UnB

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/biblios.2014.172

Keywords:

Public library, Access to information, Information society, Brazil, Spain

Abstract

Objective. It presents a theoretical discussion of the concept of the library as a democratic institution that is directly related to the right to information, which guarantees access to knowledge, culture, education and leisure according to their functions and the Manifesto UNESCO. Method. This is an exploratory study with qualitative, quantitative analysis and dialectical method. It was made in public libraries in Brazil and Spain, noting aspects of interactivity and connectivity, as assumptions necessary for the information society. Results. The theoretical framework is based on studies of Suaiden (2012); Felicia Soto (2006); Jaramillo, et al (2008 which introduced questions about the mission of the public library and the challenges for the information society, plus Cuevas-Cerveró (2009) and Cuevas-Cerveró and Simeon (2011), who point to the involvement of public library as a place of training for informational learning. Conclusões. The information society requires free access to information to those who need it in any medium or format, including electronic. However, we still have social inequalities responsible for the digital divide.

Author Biographies

Maria Cleide Rodrigues Bernardino, Universidade Federal do Cariri – UFCA

Professora na Universidade Federal do Cariri (UFCA). Centro de Ciências Sociais Aplciadas (CCSA). Doutora em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade de Brasília.

Aurora Cuevas-Cerveró, Universidad Complutense de Madrid – UCM

Professora na Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Doutora em Ciências da Documentação pela Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Emir José Suaiden, Universidade de Brasília – UnB

Professor na Universidade de Brasília. Departamento de Ciência da Informação. Doutor em Ciência da Informação pela Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Pós-Doutor pela Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Published

2015-05-07

How to Cite

Bernardino, M. C. R., Cuevas-Cerveró, A., & Suaiden, E. J. (2015). Public library and information access: challenges for the information society in Brazil and Spain. Biblios Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, (57), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.5195/biblios.2014.172

Issue

Section

Original