5th International Conference on Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries 4 - 7 June 2013, "La Sapienza" University, Rome Italy

1. The social function of the Public Library in
the world of social networks and of the
crisis of the Welfare State
Luísa Alvim | José António Calixto
University of Évora, CIDEHUS (Portugal)
5th International Conference on Qualitative
and Quantitative Methods in Libraries 4 - 7
June 2013, "La Sapienza" University
Rome Italy

2. 9
reduce the social exclusion
In a time of economic crisis
and social recession
public libraries can
develop social
initiatives
© Nuno Marçal

3. 6
libraries
People
© Nuno Marçal

4. 4
Municipal Library Figueiró dos Vinhos
generate social capital
inclusive actions
libraries

5. Municipal Library Nazaré
online services
social networks
free services

6. the role of the welfare state
crisis
restrict social functions of
the welfare state
austerity policies

7. Municipal Library Póvoa de Varzim
Portugal
Municipal Library Braga
books exchange
defense of citizenship

8. 5
Mobile Library Proença-a-Nova
inclusive actions
© Nuno Marçal
© Nuno Marçal
© Nuno Marçal

9. 16
Municipal Library Coimbra
inclusive actions
library senior services

10. 11
Direção-Geral do Livro dos Arquivos e das
Bibliotecas
responsible for the Program of the National
Network of Public Libraries

11. 8
National Network of Public Libraries
Portugal
investments in acquisitions of documents are declining since
2001 € 2,417,503
2011 € 1,187,404
the average of the investment in documents per 1000 inhabitants
2001 € 817
2011 € 237
In Relatório estatístico 2011. Retrieved from
http://rcbp.dglb.pt/pt/noticias/Paginas/REstatistico2011.aspx

12. Municipal Library Torres Novas
Library 2.0
social software
Interactivity
conversation
communication
cooperation
interaction

13. 10
Municipal Library Miranda do Corvo
Library 2.0 = (documents + people + radical
trust) x participation

14. 14
Municipal Library Sever do Vouga
Digital inclusion

15. 7
Municipal Library Penalva do Castelo
Digital inclusion
Municipal Library Penalva do Castelo

16. 12
Municipal Library Braga
library services in the hospital
inclusive actions

17. 17
Portugal
penetration of 44.09% compared to the country's population and
86.28% in relation to the number of Internet users.
The total number of Facebook users 4,706,960 (March 2013)
and grew more than 141,000 in the last six months
In Socialbakers, 2013
National Network of Public Libraries 2011
194 libraries that are part of this network
76 libraries (41%) participation in social networks (Facebook and
Twitter)
99 public libraries in Facebook (March 2013 )

18. 8
future work
investigate the attitudes and evidences of the
Portuguese public libraries towards the social
function they perform, in a time of crisis of the
welfare state and in full development of social
networks. This work intended to be a first approach
to the subject, which integrates a wider investigation
of the impact of Web 2.0 on the social role of public
libraries in Portugal, taking as case study libraries in
the social network Facebook.

19. Luísa Alvim
J.A. Calixto
University of Évora, CIDEHUS (Portugal)
mluisa.alvim@gmail.com
jacalixto2000@gmail.com
thank you
©photo credits
Nuno Marçal, Biblioteca Lúcio Craveiro da Silva, Biblioteca Municipal Miranda do Corvo,
Biblioteca Municipal Figueiró dos Vinhos, Biblioteca Municipal Coimbra