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The article studies the way in which public libraries communicate their activity to the environment. The objective is to clarify what channels and media are used, what is communicated -content of the communication-, when this communication is carried out and the management of the process. The data protection of the users of the library is partially treated. A double approach, theoretical and practical, is made to achieve the objectives. The practical one is carried out through a survey of public libraries in the Region of Murcia. It is estimated that the sample is representative of the average reality of these centers in the Spanish environment. The treatment of the results is more qualitative than quantitative. The need to plan communication is concluded. Likewise, libraries should expand the variety of their communication channels and improve this with opinion leaders and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution of the professional profile of the people in charge of the hospital patients libraries in Spain through the specialized bibliography. Some characteristics have been identified pointing how is their profile actually, and how it should be. They are usually volunteers with no specific training, but when the aim is to offer a service of good quality and to achieve the recognition by the civil service, the hospital and also the users, a professional with specific training is required. In the beginning, the ones in charge had to have a profile according to a public Iibrary librarian: regarding the collection management and the dealing with the user. Nowadays their tasks are closer to the medical libraries' librarians, especially after the Patient's Right to Information Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]