ana bela pereira martins portugal eurolis seminar

Ana Bela Pereira Martins

Portugal

EUROLISSeminar

Public libraries: Knowledge, Culture and Citizenship

A new social structure, the network society, is setting up across the globe, in different ways and with very different consequences for people's lives (...). As with previous structural change, this transformation offers many opportunities as challenges as well (...)

Castells, Manuel. A galáxia Internet

The digital revolution that has been taking place has changed everything at once, writing supports, technique reproduction and dissemination and ways of reading. This simultaneity is unprecedented in human history.

Chartier, Charles “Learn to read, read to learn


The issue of literacy (...) now implies the intervention of a new factor, in many decisive ways. I am tempted to call it a

third culture. It's the electronic revolution, (...) the revolution that started with modern computers, the

Internet, the world wide web, planetary marketing (...) and to the storage, ways theoretically unlimited and retrieval

in databases and search engines. (...) No invention or artifact since, undeniably, the domestication of fire by

man, have been an impact on everyday activities shaping humanity, comparable to that one done by the PC and the

laptop, the SMS and the Internet "

Steiner, George, The books I did not write


Configuration reflected:

o in the ways we produce and communicate knowledge,

o the changing patterns of economic and social organization,

o new forms of access to information, entertainment and social interaction induced other perceptions / receptions of reality in virtual space.


But we know that the future is digital, or at least predominantly digital

PPublic Library in the 21st century:

How to respond to demands, interest and needs users in a changing and an upheaval world

Economics, politics, social, educative and cultures are huge issues of modern societies

The future incertitude

Everything is changing: libraries must rethink its role, mission, services and spaces that better answer to these news challenges, threats



User driven innovation

Key words:

• The H-factor

• Engagement

• Connection – all types

• Trust – ask them to help

• Ask

• Learn


Think different

Think inspiring

IASL Conference 2012, by Eppo van Nispen tot Sevenaer


We have great opportunities

To expand and to democratise the information and knowledge access

Innovator services based on processing large volumes of data and information,


Incertitude?

IASL Conference 2012, by Joyce Valenza

Assumptions that have broad consensus among us:

o Structured information and knowledge

o Qualification

o Multiple and diverse literacies

o ICT challenges and benefits

o Hybrid library

o Creativity and innovation

o Ensure equal opportunities

o Building an effective exercise of citizenship

o Reinforcing identities in an environment of deep

diversity


All these assumptions converge to the mission and role of public libraries

“Think iCentre: it´ s time to rethink, rebuild, and rebrand. “

Lyn Hay


Social and economic change impose to public libraries an increasingly and more active role in the communities

Reconfiguration of Public Library:

• Decisive agents in implementing active policies to promote Lifelong Learning

• To combat digital illiteracy and social exclusion is on the agenda of many international forums, notably promoted by the European Union

• Will be important partners in promoting citizenship, multiculturalism and inclusion of minority cultures, citizens with special needs and the elderly.



Strategy

New networks Creativity Dialogue

Service innovation

“National and European goals oriented towards a knowledge-

based society

▪ Government programs for more inclusive services

▪ Need for new skills in the workplace, in a knowledge-based

society

▪ Requirements of eGovernment to citizens who master the

new technologies

Mobility of people, driving the need for better language skills



▪ Integration of people with diverse backgrounds, which

creates the need for a solid foundation in the name of

community cohesion

▪ Globalization, which intensifies the need to preserve

cultural identities

▪ Technological developments, enabling access to

education through an expanding range of interactive

devices and portable "(UNESCO, 2009)


“The public library of the 2020 will answer to new social,

technological and economic realities, preserving its durable values .

New tools will be used and new partnership will be made, to ensure

its traditional roles, concerning a lifelong education and a structure

and motor of cultural and economic development. It will be a symbol

of community and social cohesion . It will be sensible to the

“diverse diversity”… It will be able to integrate research on reading

and learning and it will give access to technology in democratised

digital universe and participative of real quality. It will be a factor of

creativity in the community and it will offer public spaces where

people can participate and change ideas.”

Plan stratégique provisoire de la Bibliothèque d`Ottawa 2012-2015


New contexts:

o As essential component of community development

o Partnerships and programs for all groups

o Local language materials


Assumptions:

o Literate populations, leisure reading time, democratization

and knowledge access, students/ school connections

Contemporary contexts:

o Globalization and global migrations

o Diversity

o Technology / ICT


Services

Information professionals

Competencies

Social values

Values


Services:

The library is in the center of the community it serves :

o Development of different roleso Spaces for reading, learning, training, discovery and

reflection and critical action in community

o The library is in constant innovation, so that everyone can access electronic resources and digital XXI century competencies

o Offering a digital strategy aimed both for competent users and for beginners as well as for those who do not have access to technology.


Different types of skills needed in libraries:

Traditional skills to achieve library´s goals today, they are useful in traditional and hybrid libraries

Traditional – organization, information management …

News - related to ICT, management and data meaning

The new needs are the same as the new citizenship skills: information literacy, encourages to live with continuing changes,

meeting people from other cultures etc.

Information professionals:


Social Value

Cohesion and social integration

Social values


Emerging Concepts of Literacy

Personal, civic and economics benefits. Critical and emancipatory literacy

Multiple literacies

Acquired as social process, not only cognitive

Individual level: from passive to active, social and lifelong process of problem solving and knowledge creation

Learning and knowledge as participatory, collaborative, creative and distributive

Nation level: movement to inclusion of knowledge as part of the economy


Values

Engagement with users

Engagement with future

authenticity, reliability, integrity, preservation, and continued access to information


Portugal

Setting the scene

Raiden1, 2008

Nic Price, 2008


Background:

High levels of illiteracy

Poor reading habits

Absence of habits and lack of opportunities for using libraries and other cultural and educational equipments

1987 – Launch of National Public Libraries Network aiming to create a public library in every municipality

Public Libraries Knowledge Network – union catalogue

1996 – Launch of the SLNP aiming to create and develop libraries in schools of all levels


Urban areas

Some examples

Viana do Castelo Municipality Library

Matosinhos Municipality Library


Lisbon municipality approved a “Strategic Library XXI

Programme,” which aims to reconfigure the network of

municipal libraries, building news, requalifying others to ensure

the coverage of the territory and a balanced distribution.

Public library Torres NovasPublic library Moimenta da Beira


Coruchéus library, in Lisbon

Located in Alvalade, a middle class headquarter, where

there is an educational and cultural cluster (near

universities, schools, BN, Archives, Art Galleries,

municipal studios sponsored to plastic artists, municipal

theater and cinemas).

Functional program, in addition to common services is

being adapted with a specialization in arts.


Marvila Library - Reflect the referred assumptions , using the strategy of focus group :

o normal spaces,

o spaces for training,

o spaces previously thought to the use of community (host

associations and civilian communities )


Projects:

Galveias library - Community psychosocial integration


A programme which consists of regular meetings with

librarians, psychologists, technicians, for starting

construction of individual profiles are oriented to other

training opportunities, self-employment promotion

Discovering new horizons in according to their interests

and possibilities.

The main goal is to enable people to built a individual

and social project of life.


Maria Keil Library

o Intersection of a reallocation headquarter and an expanding

middle class.

o Given these two worlds PB is an active partner in the

communitary group.

o Active partners - health center, police staff akaghan

o Foundation and the church.

o Develops work with people with low levels of literacy and

families.

o Regular meetings with vulnerable groups . Drug addicts.

Readers promotion. Promoting citizenship .


MunicipaIs Networks Libraries

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS THINKING IN THE FUTURE


a challenge to the future and with the future - working in partnership

MunicipaIs Network Libraries

• Public library

• School library

• Others …


The municipal network is based on a protocol signed between all stakeholders (the Mayor, Directors of Schools,

Training Centers and other responsible for others institutions, which defines:

Network designation

Logo

Cooperating

Mission and Objectives

Organic:

Board of cooperative

team

Collective Catalogue

Portal

http://www.cm-lousa.pt/rblousa/index.php


Rural areas

Other experiences


Small villages and rural areas have not public library, but all have schools.

Towns have public library with a large number of students and teachers as users.

On the other hand:

We have from the beginning a formal agreement of cooperation with local authorities and public library.


We will present now three experiences of dual use library, among others in our country:

Municipality network – S. Brás de Alportel

School housed public library or school community library (Barrancos)

Public library / school library (Moura)


SÃO BRÁS DE ALPORTEL

REDE CONCELHIADEBIBLIOTECAS

S. Brás de Alportel

Small town

Population 7500

Two elementary and two secondary schools

One public library

Ethnographic museum

SLPrimarySchool

In LocoInf.Center

PublicLibrary

SLSecondary

School

São Brás de Alportel

Ethnographic MuseumSp. Lib.

SlSecondary School

SLInfant School

A network to whom?


1

2

3

4

Access to libraries, information and resources

Library reference services

Literacy training

Cultural services

LIBRARIESNETWORK

Services/Activities


A B C D 5

Cooperative collection

Technicalprocessing

Interlibrary loan

Referencesystem

Library users’ training

Integrated Library System


- Stimulate, promote and sponsor the development of the

library services, sharing its resources to benefit the local

community.

- Spread all types of important information.

- Raise awareness of the importance of the social and

educational function of the library.

- Promote education and lifelong learning.

MISSION OF S. BRÁS ALPORTEL NETWORK


- Stimulate and develop literacy skills.

- Encourage persons to be a creative, discerning and socially

aware readers in order to contribute towards the community of

São Brás de Alportel.

- Promote and spread artistic and scientific projects which

enhance the cultural development of community.

- Use standard procedures to share information and resources

among libraries.

GOALS OF THE NETWORK


S. Brás de Alportel municipality network

http://sba-bibliotecas.pt/


Barrancos :

A school housed library: a common project of the Municipality and the Ministry of Education (SLNP)

• Rural area• Population of 2500 • One school

Local authorities and SLNP made a formal agreement for a joint use library.

Project ended in May 2007

School community library opens in September 2007


Municipality paid for the works of space adaptation, the

purchase of some equipment and provided the collection.

SLNP paid some works, the collection renovation, modern

furniture and equipment.

Staff

• a teacher librarian - school

• a technical library - municipality


Moura Small town Population 5000Municipal Public library

Municipality and ME (SLNP) made a formal agreement:

The already existent school libraries host now branches of the public library


Municipality network

School Library hosts Public Library Branch

Villages


The two authorities work together on promotion, planning and management:

One online catalogue. A selected and balanced collection serving students and the

community. A prepared staff to respond to the different users needs. Increased opening hours (from 9am to 8pm).

The school community library allows:– the pedagogical use of resources

– the offer of a public service

Public Library Branches housed by School Librariesprovide:

A larger collection, electronic resources, services and facilities

with saving costs;

An interlibrary loan service;

A documental policy planned together;

Regulations and Procedures harmonisation.


Conclusions

Even being early for a serious evaluation, the result of the Dual Use seems to have a positive impact in all the community

An innovator project, that benefices different users in small towns, villages and rural areas, which grows with the experience of all units.

A dual use library responding to students and teachers needs, and to all the community.

Extended opening hours. The library became an important meeting point to the

community, joining different generations. Promotes a positive attitude concerning libraries and its role in

lifelong learning.


This presentation was only possible with the cooperation of:

Barrancos Municipality

Moura Municipality

S. Brás de Alportel Municipality

Public librarians

Galveias Public Library

Maria Keil Public Library

Head teacher of Barrancos school

Teacher librarians and other school members

Lisbon Municipality

Thank you all



“One of the uses of reading is preparing us for the change and the change is definitely universal”

Bloom, Harold. How to read and Why

Thank you for your attention!

ana bela pereira martins portugal eurolis seminar

Documents

different ways

different consequences

ways of reading

public libraries

os livros que

new social structure

citizenship steiner

technique reproduction