When the Book Looks for its Readers: the public library finding solutions to promote reading literature in poor areas of Brasilia-Brazil, using the Community Home Libraries Program and the Bookchest Projet.

um desafio que se tornou realidade no Distrito Federal com bibliotecas domiciliares e o Programa Mala do Livro

Abstract

The Community Home Libraries Program was created in 1990 as an outreach project for the public library system. The program targeted poor communities that didn't have acess to any public library nearby. The Bookchest Project was a solution to bring books to a large community with a very low budget. The project selected and trained community leaders to establish “home libraries” in their own houses/homes. Thus, a community leader would provide the facility while the Public Library System would provide books and the Bookchest. The project also trained librarians to assist and to supervise “home libraries” regularly. Through providing different kinds of literature, the project found a way to promote and estimulate reading within poor communities where it is not a daily practice. The Bookchest Project developed a democratic concept of libraries, in Brasilia, by creating a mobile library that would go everywhere it is needed.