El papel de las bibliotecas públicas y escolares en el medio rural: estimular la reflexión para devolver la identidad social a los agricultores

THE CASE OF THE FARMERS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF BRAZIL IS PRESENTED IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THE ROLE WHICH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY COULD PLAY IN RURAL AREAS OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. A OBJECTIVE ACCOUNT OF THIS UNDERTAKING IS PRESENTED, ALONG WITH ITS HISTORY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY UP TO THE PRESENT. INFORMATION ABOUT HISTORICAL RECORDS OF READING HABITS IN RURAL ENVIRONMENTS IS ALSO PRESENTED, FROM THEIR BEGINNINGS IN COLONIAL TIMES UP UNTIL THEIR COMPLETE DEMISE. ANOTHER TOPIC DEALT WITH IS THAT OF THE MASSIFICATION, IMPOSED BY THE MASS MEDIA ON RURAL COMMUNITIES. THIS MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE PRECARIOUSNESS OF SCHOOLING IN RURAL AREAS WHICH LEAD TO A LACK OF INTEREST IN READING AND WRITING AND, MAKING PEOPLE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE, LIMITING THEM TO ORAL COMMUNICATION WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ISOLATING THEM MORE AND MORE.