The use of information and communication technologies in public libraries in Brazil

1. 2013 The use ofinformation and communication technologies in publiclibraries in Brazil marta@pensamentodigital.org.br FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

2. Opportunity: thecnology and social economicdevelopment • Information and communication technologies ICT • Computers, cellphones, cameras, severalapps • Internet – information and interactivity as resources for : • Socaileconomicdevelopment • Mileniumdevelopmentgoals (poverty, education, gender, shealth, environment, commonefforts) • Household, family, education, employment and income, citizenparticipation FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

3. ICT for Development • Beyondtheaccess • Internationally, there is theproductionof research thatgivethebasisfor theelaborationofpublic policies • belief: thebiggestthequantity and qualityofinformation and communication , thebetterwillbethedevelopmentof a society • relates withotherknowledgeareas • InformationScience and LibraryStudies • Communication Science • ComputerScience • Social Science – development FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

4. Source: CGI.BR, 2011 45% ofBrazilians are considered Internet user Themain cause to notaccess internet is thehighcost. FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

5. Sourcee: CGI.BR, 2011 Placesofaccess: household, publicaccesscenters FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

6. Information and Communication Technologies for development in Brazil • CHALLENGE 1 - Extendtheaccess to thehealthofthepopulationthat is currentlyoffline • CHALLENGE 2 – accessalone does notmeandevelopment • - usersofpubliccenterstend to use ICT for entertainment • - lackof a cultureonthe use ofinformation to solve problemsorimprovethequalityoflife • - need to createstimulationorencouragement to the use ofinformation and communication in issuesrelated to social and economicdevelopment FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

7. Thisstudy starts fromthefollowingbeliefes: 69% out oftheusersfrom classes D and E access internet in publicaccesscenters • Publicaccesscenters are thebestway to extendtheaccess to theotherhealthofbrazilianpopulation. • PublicLibrary is thebesttypeofcenter to pilotnewstrategies in ICT for development in Brazil • whencomparedwith LAN houses and telecenters , although in smallerquantirytheplshave: • betterqualifiedteams , withsmallerturnover • PL mission includes to provide and stimulatethe use ofinformation • PLs are integrated to country public policies FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

8. public policies, programs and budgets, alllocatedinsidetheCulturegovernmentdepartnment • strongon book and readingpromotion (literature books) • people use oftechnology is limited to free use of internet – no libraryactivity is developedwiththe use oftechnology • lackofintegrationoftechnologyonlibraries´programofactivities (agenda) • ICT onlibrary management: digital catalog management (in process), library agenda disseminationthrough social networks and blogs Fase I: general vision and sceneryofpubliclibraries in Brazil FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

9. Research Questions: • Whatmakes a libraryrelevant to its community ? • How ICT canbeused to strenghtorincreasetheelementsthatmaekthelibraryrelevant? • Factorsofrelevanceor research domainareas: • services, staff, phisicalinfar-structure, management, collection, and access to ict . FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

10. SampleDefinition • Thesample does notintend for a statisticallyrepresentation , but to identifyrelevancefactorsthatattarctthepeople and identifyopportunities • - 4 states : • Acre, • Bahia, • Rio Grande do Sul, • São Paulo • Capital + maller city(es) • Big, medium and small libraries FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

11. Building research instruments: Semi strutctured interviews for librarycoordinators and local governmentrepresentativesexploredthe range ofservicesfrom IFLA UNESCO manifesto thatintend to promote: • cultural diversity • identifytheneedsofinformation • provideadequateinformationservices • facilitatethedevelopentofinformationfluency • facilitatethedevelopmentofcomputerskills • supportliteracyactivities for all ages • Readinghabits in children • selfinstruction • formal instruction • imagination and creativity • access to cultural expressions • awarenessof cultural heritage FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

12. Mainfunctions : • promotereading for children • environment for study – younfadults • lending books • Internet access Synthesysof findings • Functionsmentionedonsmallerfrquency: • keep cultural heritage • access to cultural expressions • encouragemnt for local writiers • Funnctionsnotmentioned (oralmosnotmentioned): • identify and provideinformationneedsof local community • facilitatethedevelopmentofinformatio n and computerskills • disseminatescience and technologyinnovations • literacy FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

13. ICT gets to thelibrarythrough “Digital Inclusion “ policies managedbytheMinistryof Communications or local governmentdepartmentsrelated to scjence and technology, they are responsible for: • Computerssettings and management • Operators training and some times payment • These policies seethelibraries as accesspoints, they ignore library´smissions and thepossibilities to integratetechnologyonlibrariesactivities. • Computers´usereshave a differentprofileifcompared to otherlibraryusers, they do not use othersservicesofferedonthelibrary , theygo to thelibraryspecifically to use internet. Public Access to technology FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

14. Many times thecomputers are islandsisolatedinsidethelibraryies ( thisisolationfromtherestofthelibrary referes to locationofequipments, planning for the use ofequipments, operatorsprofessionaldevelopment (training) and activitiesdeveloped) • The staff resposible for computerssupervision work on na independentlyfromlibrary staff, ussuallytheydon´tknowwhat are themostfrequentactivitiesofferedbythelibrary for readingpromotion, cultural heritage, cultural expressionsamongothers... • Computers are notused as resources on workshops oractivitiesofreadingpromotion . For instance , to representcharachtersorscenesfromthestorieusing digital resources to draw, createcomics, recordvoice , makecombinationsofpictures , recordvideosform drama and otherpossibilities. Technology and librariesfunctions FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

15. usersfromreadingarea • Sampleof 13 • Allown a computer/device • - all are students • - 9 are between 20 and 34 yearsold • 2 borrow books • 12 completedhighschool • - maingoalwhenusingcomputer: education and skillsdevelopment for work • usersfromcomputersarea • Sampleof15 • 10 – unicplace for access • 11 – search for informationon internet • 04 –borrow books • 07 – havetheirowncomputer/device • 05 – Internet connection at home • 01 – 3G access (cellphone) • - Maingoalwhen use computers: communication withfriends and enterteinment. • users in transit • Sampleof 11 • 11 borrow books • - 9 accessict • 9own a computer/device • - 2 internet connection at home • 8 completedhighschool • - maingoalwhenusingcomputer: education and skillsdevelopment for work Howpeople is usingtechnology in publiclibraries FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

16. Adoptionof a digital system for thecollectioncatalog management • in process in medium and big libraries • a desire in small libraries • Bib livre (freesoftware) – is usend in two states , it allowscatalogaccesson a computerinsidethelibrary ( States: RS, AC) • Private systems , allowcatalogaccesson internet , fullyworkingonSAo Paulo city, Guarulhos(SP) city system, Piracicaba (SP) city, Statelibrariesof SP and BA • Divulgação da programação da biblioteca e aquisições do acervo em redes sociais e blogs Technology use in libraries’ management FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

17. partnershipswithothergovernmentdepartments (beyondculturedepartments) • Ministryof communication - Telecenters • Education – schoolsvisitthelibraries • partnershipwith local organizations • to receivedonations for thecollection • to disseminatelibrary agenda ofactivities (weak) • nonexistantepartnerships to deleiverordemandcontent as information for social economicdevelopment ( professionalassociation, NGOs, neighborhoodassociation , provatecompaniesoruniversities). Libraries’ Partnerships FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

18. Mostusedservices: • book lending • Internet Access ( fromlibrary’ computeror wifi) • Thecoordintaorwouldprioritizeinvestment in: • Building and physicalfacilities • Improveprintedcollection • Use a digital system to managecollection´scatalg • Ifhtelibraryhadunlimitedfunds for technology, howthecoordinatorwouldpromoteinnovationsonthelibrary? • Considerthe use oftechnology and innovationsveryimportant • Want to attract more people (speciallyteenagers) • Theyseetheneed for updating • Buttheydon´tknowhow, theyask for professionaldevelopment (p. 6) Thevisionoflibraries’ coordinators FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

19. Opportunities - areas for technologyintegration • professionaldevelopment for libraries staff s aiming to integratetechnologyonactivitesthatpromotereading for children • children use technology to retellthestorie, expresstehmselves and createpeacesof work • Post works on internet libraryenvironment to value and share works producedbyusers. • supporttheadoptionof digital systems for collectioncatalog management • Developnewactivitieswherethe use oftechnologyenable and encouragethe use ofinformation to improvethequalityoflife - includingidentifytheneedsofinformation. FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL

20. Recomendations • A technologyintegrationplan for publiclibraries • Shareusersproductions • participantlibrarieswouldproducecontentrelated to bestracticesontechnologyintegration • List ofpossibilities and materials to explainpracticesonthe use oftechnology and indicatorsbasedontheproductsproducedbythepractices. FUNDAÇÃO PENSAMENTO DIGITAL