Latin american libraries in the information society

LATINAMERICAN INFORMATION SERVICES AND LIBRARIES DISPLAY TWO PREDOMINANT TENDENCIES WHEN CON FRONTING THE USE OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.ON THE ONE HAND, THEY ASSUME A PASSIVE POSITION WITH THE INTENTION OF ENTERING RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY INTO THE INFORMATION SOCIETY BY RECURRING TO THE DOMINANT MODEL OF THE INDUS TRIALIZED COUNTRIES. ON THE OTHER, A MOREACTIVE PARTICIPATION IS ADOPTED USING ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS IN ORDER TOOVER COME EXCLUSION AND FACILITATE THE APPROPRIATION OF THESE NEW TECHNOLO GIES.OUR BASIC PREMISE IS THAT LATINAMERICAN SOCIETIES ARE NOT INFORMATION SOCIETIES, AL THOUGH PART OF THEIR POPULATION PARTICIPATE AS PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS OF THE GLOBAL INFORMATION SOCIETY, COEXISTING WITH A MAJORITY OF MARGINAL SECTORS, A SITUATION ARISING HISTORICALLY FROM UNEQUAL DEVELOPMENT.