The librarians' social responsibility in public libraries: dimensions and actions

Abstract

Introduction: Social responsibility consists of the professional's performance and commitment to provide services and perform actions aimed at the needs of its users and the production of results that benefit the entire target community. Objective: The general objective of this article is to analyze the dimensions and actions related to social responsibility developed by librarians in public libraries. Methodology: It is characterized as a descriptive, quali quantitative, bibliographic and documental research. Data were also collected in three public libraries in the city of Recife, using a questionnaire sent to the librarians of these libraries via e-mail. Additionally, activities and

services offered remotely were mapped, through the use of the libraries' social networks, during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused the suspension of the activities, starting in March/2020. Content analysis was applied to the collected data. Results: The result was the mapping of the dimensions and actions of the social function of libraries related to social responsibility, based on the theoretical framework, on document analysis and on the analysis of the questionnaires applied to the libraries studied. Conclusion: It is concluded that most of the mapped social responsibility practices are already part of librarianship and that the ethical, political, educational and cultural dimensions contemplated in librarianship activities are covered in those dimensions and actions. Therefore, it is notorious the social responsibility of the librarian and also of the public library as a space conducive to the promotion of reading and citizenship, the encouragement of culture, and social and digital inclusion.