The social function of the public library in the formation of the small literary reader: comparative analysis between Brazil and Colombia

• Grant number: 21/11053-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education
• Principal Investigator: Renata Junqueira de Souza
• Grantee: Maria Paula Obando Rodríguez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The literary review on public library (PL), reveals the significant value of this space within the historical, cultural and social scope of humanity, over time, the international development organizations of PL, particularly UNESCO, IFLA and CERLALC , has outlined its functionality and main missions, some of the basic ones being oriented to the improvement of children's reading habits, support for education, cultural and social promotion, among others. Nevertheless, the statistical studies and analyses of the Inter-American Library School, in particular the work of the librarians Didier Álvarez, Adriana María Betancour, Luis Bernardo Yepes (1998) and Emir Suaiden (1987) show for their part, that the Latin American PL does not yet fully reach each of the functions designated by the bodies and another, that recognition of the institutional condition of BP is fragile, thus constituting a generalized "library illiteracy" that negatively impacts both its social function as well as the formation of the small literary reader (SLR). In this sense, the main objective of this research project is to discuss the social function of the public library in the formation of the SLR through a comparative analysis of services and reading practices among the public libraries "Gabriel García Márquez" of Colombia and "Viriato Corrêa" from Brazil. For these purposes, it is proposed the integral recognition of each space through direct observation, field annotations and execution of semi-structured interviews to librarians and coordinators. After data collection and analysis through triangulation, it is expected to generate reflections, meaningful and dialogical/intercultural exchanges between the two analyzed libraries. (AU)