Community vs. university libraries and indigenous quota policies

an experience report from the Institute of Psychology at UFRGS

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how the actions and services developed and offered by community libraries, considering the diversity of their users, contribute to the development of services in university libraries, where the plurality of the academic community is already a reality. Field research was conducted using interviews as the data collection tool. Data analysis involved constructing an experience report that took into account the research objective. The data analysis suggests that the audience of university libraries is changing, becoming more similar to that of community libraries. Therefore, promoting partnerships between information units significantly enhances the quality of developing and offering new services. These collaborations not only foster the technical and scientific development of academics but also go further by contributing to the cultural awakening of a university library, linking the information unit to the role the library must play in the university as a driving force for culture, equality, and diversity in an educational institution. The study demonstrates that affirmative action policies are transforming the profile of university students, bringing greater heterogeneity and diversity to the academic community. Consequently, there is an increasing resemblance between the audiences of both community and university libraries, which highlights the urgent need for changes in the services of university libraries. The experiences of community libraries are highly beneficial for the development of new services in university libraries, considering that community libraries are already accustomed to the heterogeneity of their audience.