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In recent years, the identity of the public library has been affected by deep transformations caused by complex factors of social, economic, cultural and organizational nature. This has determined the diffusion of diverse models that are used, for example, for the design of spaces or to program and manage services. The fragmentation of the identity of the library is also reflected in evaluation principles and methodologies directed to perceive the social impact of the library. These transformations are also reflected in the configuration of a general profile of the librarianship culture, which ranges from an adherence to the classic model to the tensions towards new models, among which the participative model is to be found. In this paper we advance some tentative rationale to this debate.

The article presents the results of a survey on the alignment between Spanish universities and their libraries regarding the topic of 'university social responsibility' (RSU). The analysis, conducted with qualitative and quantitative methods, focused on the institutional websites of Spanish universities and their libraries, highlighting how there are still few Spanish university libraries that have implemented MSW policies and, where this has happened, it can be established a correlation with the RSU policies of the institutions to which they belong. In most cases, however, university libraries do not carry out preliminary planning of their MSW activities, instead implementing isolated measures, although in line with the plan promoted by their university. Furthermore, for the purposes of exercising the RSU, university libraries show that they pay attention to the guidelines proposed at national level by the Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias Españolas (Rebiun).

Objective. The majority of the services offered by public libraries are involved in copyright. This work has the aim to find out, based on the content analysis of the services charts, whether the existing relationships between the services offered and the copyright involved are properly identified and whether this is adequately communicated to the users as required by the quality management regulation. Design/Methodology/Approach. It is based on the location of the services charts of the Spanish public libraries. A sample is selected for the qualitative analysis including a wide variety of libraries. Out of these, as a first approach to the study of the subject, only the services and information of general nature are analysed. The following aspects are also checked: the existence of references to the regulations on copyright; the mechanisms available for the citizen to communicate with the library and participate in its management; and the services offered and the legal consequences for the citizen, what should be reflected on the content of the services charts. Results/Discussion. The results bring to light the fact that the references to copyrights in the services charts of the Spanish public libraries are scarce, either regulations or matters of general nature or specific regarding their application to the services provided to users. Conclusions. This work exposes that the services offered by public libraries have numerous copyright implications but that these do not seem to be properly identified for their inclusion in the services charts. The conclusions specify what sort of information is gathered in this respect and which way. Originality/Value. The majority of the services offered by public libraries are involved in copyright. However, this is an insufficiently studied field. In addition, these implications have increased in number and complexity with the development of the digital environment. On the other hand, the application of the quality management and the rules derived from this compels the public libraries to elaborate quality tools with the purpose of facilitating the communication between the institution and the citizens, in particular, the services charts. Thus, a study of this nature is of interest.

Communication processes in business environments are crucial for organizations to survive. However, these processes must be highly professional, which is difficult within structures with various academic and cultural backgrounds. Thus, many organizations often develop educational programs that help employees to increase their communicative performance, following literature recommendations on the positive effect of communication skills training in workplace environments. Nevertheless, the body of knowledge on these learning settings has not evolved within the communication sciences literature. Taking this into account, a program of workshops on communication skills was implemented in a factory of the multinational Bosch company in Portugal. Afterwards, a study was developed to answer a research question: What is the most suitable training model for the acquisition of communication skills in a workplace environment? The authors point out that the most appropriate model implies human communication knowledge and motivation for change, but also practical strategic communication skills.

This work explains the need to adapt the content of ethics training programs in library and information science (LIS) studies to two fundamental aspects: the future professional requirements of students and the beliefs of the students in this field of study. A purely qualitative investigative strategy, including the use of vignettes, was employed to demonstrate that a theoretical-practical methodology of teaching-learning, supported by a combination of ethics theories and a model of ethical reasoning, changes the attitude of students, adapting individual and professional ethical values for the future exercise of the profession.

Today it is essential for libraries to promote the use of their services, make themselves be known and attract readers. This article discusses the cultural dissemination and marketing in Spanish public libraries, based on an analysis of 183 web sites. Information was gathered on activities, initiatives and resources that were then systematized, quantified and described.

Social research techniques were applied to determinate the attitudes and behaviour of users in deprived areas. An analysis based on a case-study was made of the characteristics of these users regarding their living conditions and surroundings. Our aim was to obtain a profile of this type of user which, associated to factors related with their reading habits, would permit us to determine reading practices acquired either through social or psychological conditions or from their surroundings, and thus contribute to the provision of more adequate planning of library services.

The volume deals with some of the most relevant issues related to the identity of the public library and its historical, cultural, social, organizational changes, according to a comparative perspective. The topics are covered in four sections (History, Present and Future of the Public Library; Models of Analysis, Measurement, Evaluation; Complexity Challenges; Work in Progress), thus providing a wide overview of the present and the future of an institution paramount in improving people’s lives

Based on the concepts of ethics and deontology a discussion is presented about the ethical dimension of the LIS profession and the ethical dimension of organizations. The difference between principles, values and responsibilities as components of ethical codes are discussed, and the ultimate representation of the ethical dimensions are analyzed. Importance is given to professional associations as responsible for the development, dissemination and practice of the ethical codes of the profession, and the corporate culture, as part of the corporate identity of the organization that bases its ideology and defines and transmits the values.

This volume publishes the proceedings of the conference “L’identità della biblioteca pubblica contemporanea. Principi e metodi di analisi, valutazione, interpretazione = La identidad de la biblioteca pública contemporánea. Principios y métodos de análisis, evaluación, interpretación”, which was held in Turin on 14th December 2014, and it was promoted by the Dipartimento di Studi storici of the Università di Torino and by the Facultad de Ciencias de la Documentación y la Comunicación of the Un...

Introduction This paper is part of a study carried out after the reading of Luis Anglada’s article Are Libraries Sustainable in a World of Free, Networked, Digital Information? published in «El Professional de la Información» in 2014. Starting from his own concept of sustainability («the capacity of endure over the time»), the author argues that libraries are less sustainable with the past of the time, if we consider the sustainability as the relationship stablished between the value added an...

Tradicionalmente la biblioteca universitaria ha estado centrada en el apoyo a la docencia y a la investigación de la comunidad universitaria, sin embargo hoy asistimos a un movimiento a favor de reivindicar un mayor desarrollo de la función social de este tipo de bibliotecas, en este contexto se defiende que la biblioteca universitaria puede traspasar los límites del espacio académico para promover la lectura, el acceso a la información a través de ésta y la democratización del conocimiento, pues la preocupación por la cultura y el ocio de una comunidad también debe existir en una universidad que refleje y agregue valores a los servicios prestados a millares de personas que diariamente circulan por sus instalaciones. En el caso de España observamos un creciente eco en esta postura. El propósito de este trabajo consiste en comprobar el estado actual acerca de las actividades de promoción de la lectura en las bibliotecas universitarias españolas que se están llevando a cabo, a partir del análisis de la información que aparece en los sitios web de estas bibliotecas. Partimos de un estudio previo de bibliografía sobre el tema para seguidamente proceder a un análisis de sitios web. Este estudio permite mostrar una visión más exacta del grado de implicación de estas bibliotecas en la promoción de la lectura, el tipo de actividades, procedimientos para promocionarlas, etc. Las actividades que nos han parecido de mayor interés se describen de manera detallada y las proponemos como ejemplos de buenas prácticas. Traditionally the university library has been focused on supporting the teaching and research of the university community, but today we are witnessing a movement to demand a further development of the social function of such libraries, in this context is defended the university library can cross the boundaries of academic space to promote reading, access to information through it and the democratization of knowledge, as the concern for culture and leisure in a community must also exist in a university reflect and add value to the services provided to thousands of people traveling on the premises daily. In the case of Spain observed a growing echo in this position. The purpose of this work is to check the current status on activities to promote reading in Spanish university libraries that are being carried out, based on the analysis of the information displayed on the websites of these libraries. We start from a prior study of literature on the subject to then conduct a site analysis.This study allows a more accurate display of the degree of involvement of these libraries in promoting reading, activities, procedures for promotion. The activities that we’ve found most interest are described in detail and offer examples of good practice.

Os últimos anos tem assistido a importantes transformações nas bibliotecas portuguesas. A expansão tanto da Rede de Bibliotecas Públicas (iniciada em 1986) como a das Bibliotecas Escolares (dez anos depois), acompanhada por melhorias significativas nas bibliotecas universitárias, alargou substancialmente a oferta de livros e outros materiais de informação, bem como de novos serviços. Se a isto se juntarem as acções continuadas de promoção da leitura da Direcção-Geral do Livro e das Bibliotecas, o Plano Nacional de Leitura e muitas outras iniciativas de carácter local, pode-se ter alguma esperança de que em breve Portugal saia em definitivo dos últimos lugares nos estudos comparativos sobre literacia. Neste contexto irrompeu, mais recentemente, aquilo que tem sido designado por "Web social" ou "Web 2.0", conceito que rápidamente contaminou as conversas e as discussoes entre profissionais e estudiosos da área das bibliotecas e ciências da informação, desenvolvendo-se também a ideia (e alguma prática) do que tem sido designado por "Biblioteca 2.0". As bibliotecas vêem-se assim, em Portugal, confrontadas com um duplo desafio: Por um lado apoiam o desenvolvimento de competências básicas de leitura, procuram tornar o livro acessível a todos, ajudando populações desfavorecidas a vencer muitas barreiras (como o isolamento ou a doença), desenvolvem estrategias para atrair novos leitores e melhorar a qualidade da leitura. Para tudo isto precisam de se preparar, equipar e formar o seu pessoal com perfis específicos. Num outro sentido, não necessariamente antagónico, parceiro mesmo segundo alguns, as tecnologias impõem-se, e longe vai o tempo em que se discutia o papel das TIC na organização das bibliotecas. Os desafios que são colocados pela "biblioteca 2.0" e pelo desenvolvimento das redes sociais, sao de modo a exigirem aos profissionais novas e profundas alterações de competências e comportamentos. As redes sociais podem baralhar ou mesmo inverter completamente os tradicionais papéis de autor, mediador e leitor. Como podem as bibliotecas actuar neste ambiente? Novas interrogações surgem: que adaptações, que práticas, que profissionais?

The volume deals with some of the most relevant issues related to the identity of the public library and its historical, cultural, social, organizational changes, according to a comparative perspective. The topics are covered in four sections (History, Present and Future of the Public Library; Models of Analysis, Measurement, Evaluation; Complexity Challenges; Work in Progress), thus providing a wide overview of the present and the future of an institution paramount in improving people’s lives.

This compilation and analysis of the initiatives related to social responsibility and sustainability in 71 Spanish university libraries obtained information primarily from web sites and print materials: activities reports, brochures, strategic plans and collection management documents. To organise and analyse the information, a list of 5 categories was developed, covering 21 elements. In 61 (85.9%) of the universities analysed, some type of library activity related to social responsibility and sustainability was identified.

Today it is essential for libraries to promote the use of their services, make themselves be known and attract readers. This article discusses the cultural dissemination and marketing in Spanish public libraries, based on an analysis of 183 web sites. Information was gathered on activities, initiatives and resources that were then systematized, quantified and described.

[ES] Se recopilan y analizan los logotipos de las bibliotecas públicas españolas que se muestran en sus páginas webs. Se ha elaborado un catálogo de 41 registros que contiene de cada biblioteca una imagen del logotipo, el tipo o modelo de logotipo, el símbolo y las cualidades estéticas que los caracterizan.

Partint dels conceptes d'ètica i deontologia, es presenta una discussió sobre la dimensió ètica de la professió i la dimensió ètica de les organitzacions. Es diferencia entre principis, valors i obligacions com a components dels codis deontològics i s'estudien aquests com a representació última de les dimensions ètiques analitzades. Es concedeix importància a les associacions i col·legis professionals com a responsables de l'elaboració, difusió i pràctica dels codis deontològics de la professió, i a la cultura corporativa, com a component de la identitat corporativa de l'organització que sustenta la seva ideologia i defineix i transmet els valors compartits., Using ethical and deontological concepts as a starting point, the ethical dimensions of the professional and its organizations are explored. The author distinguishes between principals, values and obligations as components of deontological codes, which are presented as the ultimate representation of the ethical dimensions analyzed in the text. Professional associations play an important role, by means of their responsibility for drawing up, disseminating and applying the professional deontological codes. Corporate culture is also important, since it defines the identity of the organization that supports the code’s ideology, as well as defining and transmitting shared values., A partir de los conceptos de ética y deontología se expone la dimensión ética de la profesión y de las organizaciones. Se diferencia entre principios, valores y obligaciones como componentes de los códigos deontológicos y se estudian éstos como la representación última de las dimensiones éticas analizadas. Las asociaciones y colegios profesionales cobran importancia como responsables de la elaboración, difusión y aplicación de los códigos deontológicos de la profesión. La cultura corporativa también es importante, ya que define la identidad de la organización que sustenta la ideología del código, y define y transmite los valores compartidos.

Presentem una perspectiva de l'ensenyament de l'ètica i la deontologia de la informació en els estudis universitaris de biblioteconomia i documentació. Partim de la justificació d'aquest ensenyament, fem una anàlisi detallada de la presència de continguts ètics en els plans d'estudis d'universitats de diferents països, i acabem l'article amb la descripció de la proposta docent de l'assignatura Ética y deontología de la información, impartida per la Universidad de Extremadura a la llicenciatura en Documentació., The article provides a perspective on the teaching of ethics and the deontology of information in university-level library and information science programmes. It begins with a justification of this area of studies and a detailed analysis of the presence of ethics content in the curricula of universities in different countries. The article concludes with the description of the proposal for a course on Information Ethics and Deontology, given at the University of Extremadura., Se presenta una perspectiva de la enseñanza de la ética y deontología de la información en los estudios universitarios de biblioteconomía y documentación, partiendo de la justificación de esta enseñanza, realizando un análisis pormenorizado de la presencia de contenidos éticos en los planes de estudios de universidades en diferentes países, para finalizar con la descripción de la propuesta docente de la asignatura Ética y deontología de la Información, impartida en la licenciatura en Documentación de la Universidad de Extremadura.