Search

The Local Libraries of A Coruña (Galicia) have taken on the challenge, as public libraries, to guarantee the access to information and culture to all citizens. To this end, they have developed a series of programmes that promote spaces for participation, social inclusion and community development. To this end, libraries have implemented social inclusion programmes in those areas where library staff consider it relevant to seek alliances with other sectors for the development of social significant projects where libraries want to direct and focus their approaches. All these efforts aim at making the library an inclusive place where users see the library as a safe space that contributes to increasing their self-esteem and independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

User-centered libraries allow for the development of life skills. The importance of this capacity lies in the fact that one of the main focal points of education in the 21st century is 21st century skills. Organizations such as Unesco, EU, P21, AT, Annex, OECD, Nets, Naep, enGauge, etc. support this perspective and propose lists of skills needed to perform in today's society. However, what is the right place to acquire these skills? Although the first answer would be the school, this paper aims at explaining how libraries are the right places for the development of skills when they are able to deploy their capacity to be informal education centers. Being this a personal report, the paper shows different examples based on my personal experience, both related to the influence libraries had on the author and to the way the author, as a librarian, influences other users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Size does not categorically determine the management of a library, but it will have a different impact on some aspects, especially because it will depend on the services it offers and the user population it addresses. The key is to find a balance between infrastructures, funding and staff in order to carry out their mission. Of these three elements, staff is the most crucial point, not so much in terms of its size but because of its involvement, motivation and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does size matter? It depends. It does not matter when it comes to essential services. This is because both big and small libraries have the same aim, i.e., to offer a quality service to the user. The difference is mainly found in the resources available to one or the other. Size does matter in terms of offering spaces, specialized library staff and information and technological resources, etc. Small libraries stand out for having one person in charge of everything, who must be functional and versatile to be able to carry out all the work full time, being fundamental in this case the creation of collaborative networks. The reward for the users and the librarian is thus the closeness and familiarity in creating a community around the library and being a reference center for the town's cultural dynamization, which is also my case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current health situation has caused, among other social, relational, employment changes, etc., an accelerated and exponential increase in the use of technology. This is because in all areas, libraries included, technology has been key when it comes to connecting with users, adapting and creating new services. What have been the applications that have allowed us to remain on the scene? What technological routes have we travelled? We will draw a sketch of the ecosystem of applications; a very broad, diverse and changing ecosystem that makes undoubtedly a bet for the present. And for the future? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of user service has become a fundamental aspect in library management today. The essence of the current libraries is based on the relationship between people, specifically between those who provide services and those who make use of them. Thus, as user service is mainly a matter of communication, several aspects are analyzed: the communication skills needed for the professional librarian to offer an efficient quality service, the communication with dissatisfied users, user service in no face-to-face scenarios, the attention to users with special needs, as well as that provided in extraordinary situations, such as the one required by the ongoing health crisis. We conclude by offering some recommendations to provide an effective user service in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El artículo ofrece información sobre el premio Plan social media de la Biblioteca Pública de Arroyo de la Miel. Los temas discutidos incluyen el lanzamiento del software proyecto Biblioteca 2.0, su enfoque en mejorar la comunicación entre los usuarios de la biblioteca, el personal de la biblioteca que usa este software, las bibliotecas que llevan a cabo análisis de la competencia usando este software.

El artículo discurre sobre los usuarios y los bibliotecarios en las bibliotecas españolas. El autor comenta sobre el aumento del número de usuarios desde el año 2010 y examina la reducción en el personal bibliotecario durante el mismo periodo. También se considera el crecimiento en la construcción de nuevas bibliotecas en el país.