Joint Use Libraries

El modelo de biblioteca integrada, o joint use library, propone el establecimiento de alianzas cooperativas entre bibliotecas de distinto tipo, normalmente públicas y escolares, para desarrollar su labor conjuntamente, pero sin perder su propia identidad. La propuesta se sustenta en una concepción de biblioteca única que nace y se planifica con más de una función, y ofrece a sus usuarios servicios bibliotecarios diferenciados dentro de una misma instalación, buscando la optimización de espacios y recursos.
Esta noción de unidad de información destaca por su enorme flexibilidad y su fácil adaptación a las necesidades y peculiaridades de cada población. Cuenta con un importante bagaje histórico y una notable presencia en lugares como Australia, Canadá, Estados Unidos, Reino Unido o Suecia, donde goza del beneplácito de sus respectivos gobiernos estatales y sus asociaciones profesionales. Este reconocimiento deriva en la elaboración de documentos legislativos, normas, pautas, recomendaciones y otras herramientas de utilidad que propician y promueven su desarrollo.
El presente libro ofrece orientación práctica a los lectores-profesionales que deseen plantear un proyecto de biblioteca integrada o conocer la verdadera dimensión de un modelo de biblioteca tan infrautilizado como desconocido en nuestro país.

The joint use library is introduced as a model for school and public library convergence from the perspective of Spanish experience. A description is provided of the associated information literacy programme implemented in the virtual learning environment developed by Baratz, a world class automatic processing and information and documentation flow management company that has been furnishing solutions for over 25 years. The underlying hypothesis is the existence of the alliance between libraries and schools that has always been an element of libraries’ working philosophy as a way to optimise resources and improve user services. From the outset, the contemporary public library established one-directional cooperation with educational institutions, assuming greater educational responsibilities, creating environments and offering guided tours for children and lending books to schools. At the same time, in communities with no public library, schools were the only institutions able to pro...

The joint use library is introduced as a model for school and public library convergence from the perspective of Spanish experience. A description is provided of the associated information literacy programme implemented in the virtual learning environment developed by Baratz, a world class automatic processing and information and documentation flow management company that has been furnishing solutions for over 25 years. The underlying hypothesis is the existence of the alliance between libraries and schools that has always been an element of libraries' working philosophy as a way to optimise resources and improve user services. From the outset, the contemporary public library established one-directional cooperation with educational institutions, assuming greater educational responsibilities, creating environments and offering guided tours for children and lending books to schools. At the same time, in communities with no public library, schools were the only institutions able to provide library services. This mutual need gave rise to the first joint-use libraries in the mid-nineteenth century. At present, after many years in which it was regarded as a lesser form of library service delivery, the joint use library has begun to consolidate its position worldwide with numerous examples of good practice in the provision of library services and incipient experience in countries such as Spain. The communication aims to illustrate a possible method for integrating the two types of libraries through an information literacy programme, based on Spanish experience.