project use and appropiation of itc in public libraries

Project Use and appropriation of ICT in public libraries

Context

The importance of providing information systems and connectivity in public

libraries has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture through the Public

Libraries Law and the Ministry of ICT. This is a condition without which public

libraries cannot fulfill their mission of being centers of information, exchange of

ideas and knowledge. Public libraries, due to their open, democratic and free

nature, are one of the best platforms to materialize the use and appropriation of

new technologies by the communities. For some people, the public library is the

only available means to access computers and the web.

20141223_Cerlac_Ingles2.indd 60 29/12/14 9:15 p.m.

Children users

Public Library La Paz

Barranquilla, Atlántico


Pilot Description

In September 2012, the implementation of the pilot for the use and appropriation

of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 7 began in the National

Network of Public Libraries in Colombia. The pilot sought essentially to test

in 25 libraries from different regions of the country the actions of what would

be the Project nationwide, whose aim was to advocate for public libraries as

places relevant to development, by promoting the innovative implementation of

creative library services with ICT. In this context, innovation was understood as

the ability of librarians to recognize the environment and generate, collectively,

library services that incorporate ICT in response to the needs and expectations

of the community.

The pilot was implemented in 25 libraries whose initial conditions simulated

the ones for the eventual implementation: ceilings, floors and walls in proper

condition; computers and public access connectivity in good condition; and

commitment from the Mayor and the librarian with the development of the

Project. This sought to encourage the improvement of library conditions and the

fulfillment of the role by local authorities in providing the necessary resources for

libraries to have personnel and adequate physical and technological infrastructure.

7 A library as an information unit requires the articulated operation of various technologies ranging from a system for organizing and consulting resources that integrates the identification of its users and the uses made of the resources, to the existence of specialized databases that expand the possibilities of access to information by users. Although these technological conditions are fundamental, the Project Use and Appropriation of ICT in Public Libraries focuses on the use of computers and connectivity based on the development of people and not on creating conditions for organizing and updating resources. This approach to the donation, determined by the Gates Foundation, involves promoting from public libraries, digital literacy of users and the generation of services that allow, through the Internet and computers, to improve opportunities for access to education, health, development and production procedures and governmental services.


Rural Public Library

Quiebra de Naranjal

Chinchiná, Caldas


Children participating in the project “Fostering reading”

Cultural Center and Public Library León de Greiff

Marsella, Risaralda


The actions implemented in the pilot were:

1. Library Advocacy. The main action was for libraries to demonstrate

their validity and relevance in local contexts through the use and

appropriation of ICTs. This involved improving the perception of

librarians of their role and the role of the public library, and the creation

of alliances such as the Friends of the Library Group (FLG) and the

achievement for resources for local authorities to improve the library.

2. Training library staff in public library advocacy in the municipality,

by using innovative and creative use and appropriation of ICT in

the delivery of services to the community. Innovation and creativity

of the process involved the identification by the librarian of the needs

and expectations of the community as well as government priorities

established in the local development plans, in order to build participatory

and concerted work plans and demonstrate the impact and relevance

of the library with local stakeholders. Likewise, creative use of ICT

implied a leveling process in digital literacy for all librarians and the

generation and implementation of a road map for the training of the

library user community.

3. Endowment with complementary technology to encourage the use

of computers and the existing connectivity and expand the supply of

library services. This technology consisted of an information display, a

projector, a group of tablets, a multifunction printer, a sound system and

headphones.

4. Monitoring and measurement of changes in user profiles, in terms of

uses and users, through the tool “Key of Knowledge” 8.

8 The Key of Knowledge (Llave del Saber in Spanish) is a web application created by the Valle del Cauca department, that allows librarians to identify the uses and users of libraries in order to develop actions to improve the provision of library services. Before the pilot, the Key of Knowledge was implemented only in the libraries of the department of Valle del Cauca and the city of Cali. The pilot experience made possible to define the necessary actions for implementation at the national level, which is carried out, in full, with funds from the Ministry of Culture of Colombia.

P. L. Ramiro Moreno (Baranoa, Atlántico)

P. L. Villanueva (Casanare)

P. L. León de Greiff (Marsella, Risaralda)


5. Testing applications and digital resources. Digital content for reading 9,

education and entertainment was installed in the tablets

6. Implementation of innovative and creative ICT services 10 that demonstrate

the generation of opportunities to contribute with the development of

the municipality. After the training, in each library ICT services were

developed, promoted within the libraries or implemented within the

framework of national projects.

Participating libraries

In this pilot 25 libraries from around the country and the National Library of

Colombia participated. The libraries selected nationwide were chosen based

on the following criteria: departmental coverage, rural coverage, ethnic

coverage, geographical coverage and exceptional conditions. The above

mentioned, provided that public libraries had computers and had connectivity

(basic conditions for the pilot to be implemented).

Its geographical distribution was:

9 From the Reading is My Story collection, PDF format of the titles from series 1, 2 and 3 were installed, the only ones existing to date.

10 (i) Bilingualism: Project developed in 12 public libraries with support from the US Embassy and the Colombo Americano Center, named EnglishNet, for autonomous English learning (ii) Health: pilot project carried out in two public libraries, with organizational support from the Hesperian Health Guidelines. This project provided physical health books and digital resources, through the creation of an online page for each library (wiki) with information developed by the organi-zation.

P. L. Rafael Milanés García (Cereté, Córdoba)

P. L. Meira Delmar (Barranquilla, Atlántico)

P. L. Ramón Correa Mejía (Pereira, Risaralda)


DEPARTMENT MUNICIPALITY LIBRARY

Atlántico Baranoa Ramiro Moreno Public Library

Atlántico Barranquilla Meira Delmar Library

Atlántico Barranquilla Barrio La Paz Popular Library

Atlántico Suán de la Trinidad Carmen Rodríguez Díaz Municipal Public Library

Caldas Chinchiná Quiebra de Naranjal de Chinchiná Rural Public Library

Casanare Villanueva Mega Public Library

Cauca Corinto Corinto Public Library

Cauca Piendamó Vereda La Florida Municipal Public Library

Cauca Popayán Rafael Maya Departmental Public Library

Cauca Timbío José Rómulo Muñoz Rangel Public Library

Chocó Istmina Abraham Ayala Municipal Public Library

Córdoba Cereté Cerete Municipal Library Rafael Milanés García

Cundinamarca Soacha Joaquín Piñeros Corpas Municipal Public Library

Meta San Juan de Arama Concepción de Arama Municipal Public Library

Nariño Colón Abraham Ortiz Muñoz Public Library

Norte de Santander Cúcuta Julio Pérez Ferrero Departmental Library

Norte de Santander Herrán Municipal Public Library of Herrán

Norte de Santander Los Patios José Ignacio Rangel Municipal Public Library

Norte de Santander Ocaña Luis Eduardo Páez Courvel Municipal Public Library

Risaralda Belén de Umbría Belén de Umbría Municipal Public Library

Risaralda Marsella León de Greiff Public Library and Cultural Center

Risaralda Pereira Ramon Mejía Correa Municipal Public Library

Risaralda Pueblo Rico Abraham Ayala Municipal Public Library

Santander Socorro "Antonia Santos" Public Library Bicentennial Center

Vaupés Mitú Jose Eustasio Rivera Departmental Public Library

Cundinamarca Bogotá Digital lab - Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

In the case of the National Library, the object was to implement a room with technology, in order to learn about the conditions necessary for its operation and sustainability. It was determined that its focus would be the production of digital content. Implementation and results, details are in: http://www.bibliotecanacional.gov.co/content/LABN.


Pilot outcomes

Given the condition of the pilot, its outcomes are measured from the

learnings, aiming to define the implementation proposal, which resulted

in the reception of grant resources for implementation at national level.


New building

Public Library Rafael Milanés García

Cereté, Córdoba


Child user

Municipal Public Library Abraham Ayala

Istmina, Chocó


Thus, by actions, the main learnings were:

Advocacy

• In terms of resources invested by local authorities ($ 352 million COP),

the result of the library management was outstanding. 20 of the 25

libraries required adjustments in electricity, safety and adaptation of

spaces, in terms of furniture, floors and walls, with a value of COP

$ 257 Million; 12 libraries had to adapt their computer equipment

and 3 libraries bought new computers with a contribution of COP $

37.5 million. 14 libraries had to adapt bandwidth connection, which

involved an investment of COP $ 58.2 million. At the end of the

pilot, all of the libraries had physical and technological infrastructure

appropriate to continue with the activities that were promoted.

• All librarians formed Groups of Friends of the Library, in order to get

more and better resources for public libraries.

• As for the effect on the library staff, 4 libraries managed recruiting more

staff for the provision of their services. However, there were 4 cases

in which librarians were changed. This reflect the challenges of library

staff training in Colombia and the opportunities faced to improve public

library positioning.


Training for library staff

Service plans consistent with the needs and expectations of local development

were formulated and implemented, generating a favorable perception of the

role of the librarian in library and community development. In this context, 78

innovative technology and creative services were implemented, for the access

to information and knowledge of all users in favor of community development.

These services were focused on digital literacy, reading promotion and

promotion of culture.

Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia

Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia


Training for librarians

Project Use and appropriation of ICT

Bogotá, 2014


Children users

Municipal Public Library Abraham Ayala

Istmina, Chocó


Endowment with complementary technology

All the delivered technology was used to stimulate the provision of services. The

informational display was especially relevant, by being an effective mechanism

for the promotion of library services and activities. Although technology was

used and achieved the desired goal, the challenge is to ensure that there is

a nationwide scheme defined for the maintenance and replacement of the

complementary technology as well as computers and connectivity. In the future,

technological endowment will be an incentive for these actions to be awarded

by the responsible authorities at national and regional level.


Monitoring and measurement of changes in user profiles

The Key of Knowledge allowed the investigation on the change in user profiles

and library usage behavior as a result from project implementation. The number

of users rose from 17,377 visits in the month of June 2013 to 31,120 in May

2014 and, regarding user profile, youths, adults and older adults made more

use of libraries, as well as users with professional education. The population in

disability status increased its presence in the libraries of the pilot, being visual

disability the most representative, followed by hearing impairment and physical

disability respectively. In the nationwide implementation, the Key of Knowledge

will be implemented nationwide previous to the completion of the Project.


Children users

Public Library Ramiro Moreno

Baranoa, Atlántico


Children users

Public Library Concepción de Arama

San Juan de Arama, Meta


Testing applications and digital resources

The most used applications were the ones oriented to reading, highlighting

readings from the “Reading is My Story” collection. For the future it is essential

that institutions responsible for the creation of digital content generate a new

and diverse content range to keep the interest of people in access to quality

content information from the technology installed in the library.

P. L. Abraham Ayala (Pueblo Rico, Risaralda)

P. L. Rafael Milanés García (Cereté, Córdoba)

P. L. Julio Pérez Ferrero (Cúcuta, Norte de Santander)


Implementation of innovative and creative ICT services

As a result of the implementation of bilingual and health programs, libraries

were able to provide services regularly associated with educational institutions,

expanding the opportunities for personal development. The need to build new

alliances based on improving the living conditions of people from the public

library is evident.

Marsella, Risaralda


User with disabilities

Public Library Meira Delmar

Barranquilla, Atlántico

The expectation is to extend the results of this pilot to 1,200 pub-lic libraries nationwide between 2014 and 2018. Undoubtedly, the support and commitment of everyone will allow that through the implementation of this initiative more opportunities will be generated for reading, culture and development of Colombians.

www.bibliotecanacional.gov.co/rnbp/proyecto-tic

project use and appropiation of itc in public libraries

Documents

public libraries law

public access connectivity

children users public

rural public library

appropriation of ict

appropriation of information

use of computers

project use