The place of the Benedito Leite Public Library for informal vendors of the Deodoro Complex, São Luís, MA

traces of memory of non-users

Abstract

Study aimed at analyzing the role of the Benedito Leite Public Library in the memory of informal traders of the Deodoro Complex, in São Luís, Maranhão. The study adopted a qualitative and quantitative approach, with bibliographic, documentary, and field research, involving 25 informal traders of the Deodoro Complex, selected by convenience sampling, with data collected through a form with 15 open and closed questions. It addresses memory, places of memory, and their interfaces with public libraries based on authors such as Rabello, Rabello and Almeida Júnior, Almeida Júnior, Nora, and Halbwachs. The results indicate that, although the revitalization promoted benefits such as the appreciation of the Biblioteca Pública Benedito Leite, it also contributed to reinforcing socio-spatial inequalities. The displacement of informal traders reduced the flow of people in the area, impacting small businesses and limiting the access of economically disadvantaged groups. It highlights the relationship between memory and the condition of the “non-user,” showing how restrictive institutional practices contribute to the erasure of the experiences and memories of these groups in public spaces and social narratives. It emphasizes the importance of receptive practices that promote the inclusion and empowerment of historically silenced subjects, allowing their experiences to integrate collective memory and contribute to the construction of the identity of the space. It advocates for guiding practical actions to integrate the Biblioteca Pública Benedito Leite with informal traders and the community through participatory projects and inclusive policies, highlighting the importance of strengthening the role of libraries as spaces of belonging and valuing diversity, overcoming access barriers.