Public educational library in federal institutes: identity, purpose, function, nature and perspectives

ABSTRACT

Objective:

The study on the public educational library emerged from the need to define an organizational identity for the libraries of federal institutes in Brazil since 2008. The objective of this article is to elucidate the five aspects that made it possible to understand this new category of library and propose it, namely: identity, purpose, function, nature and perspectives. It presents its characterization, correlating it with the infoeducational actions and its pedagogical and professional dimensions.

Methods:

Research originated from a science-action research-action, making use of the techniques of literature review, documental research and reflection in action.

Results:

It proposes a new category of library, which covers the complexity involved in information activities and training of social actors linked to federal institutes. The research also highlights the importance of reflecting on the concept and perspective of infoeducation, covering the importance and relevance of using this concept in Information Science, especially in issues related to the creation and availability of products and services by libraries in educational contexts.

Conclusions:

It is expected to contribute so that the conceptual and identity dispersion about these libraries is resolved in the scientific field of Information Science. It is concluded that the issues presented and discussed not only allow the definition of its identity, but also allow monitoring the evolution of society in terms of learning, professional training and citizen training; aspects that are inseparable from the identity of educational libraries and that are part of their social mission in the context of professional, scientific and technological education in Brazil.

KEYWORDS:
Public educational library; Organizational identity; Library; Federal Institutes; Information Science