Opportunities for technology integration
1- STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN THE EXISTING ACTIVITIES
The results from the research show that the use of ICT for free access in libraries is unrelated to many actions that promote the missions of the public library. Several libraries are quite active in offering workshops to promote reading through cultural activities. However these actions happen without the use of computers and internet. Library staff members who plan and conduct these cultural workshops do not know the potential of information and communication technologies to enrich or expand their activities. None of the interviewed library coordinators was considering the use of technology by users to strengthen these activities.
The idea of providing professional development for libraries staff members, to support people on the use of technology for authorship and other activities, was always seen as a better possibility than teaching social or cultural themes to technicians from telecenters.
The library coordinators were emphatic in stating the need for a new professional development for librarians and library assistants. This training should include the use of technology in cultural activities and some encouragement and orientation for the use and production of information in digital media. The coordinators explain that today, the people who receive training in technology are only the monitors from telecenters (set of equipment installed in libraries) and these do not work together with the library, they only serve computer users, who do not usually use printed collections nor attend cultural activities offered by the library.
Defining the content and implementing such professional development is a challenge for those involved with Brazilian public libraries. Computers and internet access in libraries are supplied by culture departments and the training of employees that operate equipment is made by the department of technology or the administrative sector of the government. However, the members of the technical area of governments, responsible for the training of monitors for telecenters, do not know the actions that are most relevant to libraries, such as the possible cultural application of technology. The construction of this formation seems to be the greatest challenge for the integration of technology in services that are currently the most relevant in the libraries visited.
2 TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN LIBRARY MANAGEMENT
Regarding the management of libraries, the use of ICT is present among large and medium libraries and takes place in the management of collections, and the publicizing of activities of the programming/schedule of libraries through blogs and social networks.
It is common for library management to claim more autonomy to create and maintain the library website. Often library websites are managed by the local government, which restricts the opportunity of using the digital medium for the interaction between the library staff and those who benefit from it.
Among the libraries that do not have a computerized catalog of the collections (in general the small libraries), this process is seen as a priority to increase the relevance of libraries for the local population.
3 DIAGNOSING AND MEETING THE USERS’ INFORMATION NEEDS
This function is practically dormant in Brazilian public libraries. Although “supplying information to the population” is present in the mission declarations of libraries, it is absent in federal public policy just as much as at the local level of library operating. The state and federal programs for the support of public libraries are intended to supply books and stimulate reading. Initiatives related to technology restrict themselves to supplying equipment and internet connection, and when there is training for employees, it isn’t related to the library’s mission, only with basic computer skills.
This area needs investment, but there is no motivation to do so. During the study government representatives, library coordinators and library users have never pointed out, or complaint that the library lacks actions to identify and supply information needs for the local population.
The results from the research show that the use of ICT for free access in libraries is unrelated to many actions that promote the missions of the public library. Several libraries are quite active in offering workshops to promote reading through cultural activities. However these actions happen without the use of computers and internet. Library staff members who plan and conduct these cultural workshops do not know the potential of information and communication technologies to enrich or expand their activities. None of the interviewed library coordinators was considering the use of technology by users to strengthen these activities.
The idea of providing professional development for libraries staff members, to support people on the use of technology for authorship and other activities, was always seen as a better possibility than teaching social or cultural themes to technicians from telecenters.
The library coordinators were emphatic in stating the need for a new professional development for librarians and library assistants. This training should include the use of technology in cultural activities and some encouragement and orientation for the use and production of information in digital media. The coordinators explain that today, the people who receive training in technology are only the monitors from telecenters (set of equipment installed in libraries) and these do not work together with the library, they only serve computer users, who do not usually use printed collections nor attend cultural activities offered by the library.
Defining the content and implementing such professional development is a challenge for those involved with Brazilian public libraries. Computers and internet access in libraries are supplied by culture departments and the training of employees that operate equipment is made by the department of technology or the administrative sector of the government. However, the members of the technical area of governments, responsible for the training of monitors for telecenters, do not know the actions that are most relevant to libraries, such as the possible cultural application of technology. The construction of this formation seems to be the greatest challenge for the integration of technology in services that are currently the most relevant in the libraries visited.
2 TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN LIBRARY MANAGEMENT
Regarding the management of libraries, the use of ICT is present among large and medium libraries and takes place in the management of collections, and the publicizing of activities of the programming/schedule of libraries through blogs and social networks.
It is common for library management to claim more autonomy to create and maintain the library website. Often library websites are managed by the local government, which restricts the opportunity of using the digital medium for the interaction between the library staff and those who benefit from it.
Among the libraries that do not have a computerized catalog of the collections (in general the small libraries), this process is seen as a priority to increase the relevance of libraries for the local population.
3 DIAGNOSING AND MEETING THE USERS’ INFORMATION NEEDS
This function is practically dormant in Brazilian public libraries. Although “supplying information to the population” is present in the mission declarations of libraries, it is absent in federal public policy just as much as at the local level of library operating. The state and federal programs for the support of public libraries are intended to supply books and stimulate reading. Initiatives related to technology restrict themselves to supplying equipment and internet connection, and when there is training for employees, it isn’t related to the library’s mission, only with basic computer skills.
This area needs investment, but there is no motivation to do so. During the study government representatives, library coordinators and library users have never pointed out, or complaint that the library lacks actions to identify and supply information needs for the local population.