According to data from the National System of Public Libraries (SNBP), maintained by the Special Secretariat for Culture of the Ministry of Tourism, between 2015 and 2020, Brazil lost at least 764 libraries public. In 2015, there were 6,057 public libraries in Brazil according to the database, but as of 2020, according to the most recent data available on the SNBP website, that number has dropped to 5,293. Check out more details in this article about the decline in public libraries in the country.
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Number of public libraries available in Brazil has significantly reduced
According to specialists in librarianship, the drop in the number of libraries mainly affects the most vulnerable population, which does not have access to bookstores. With this, we can see a reduction in schooling and access to quality education for several more vulnerable children, especially in the country. The neglect of the public power on the subject negatively influences prospecting to improve this scenario.
In this sense, the National System of Public Libraries is in great fragility, especially after the extinction of the Ministry of Culture. This is because the lack of real control through state systems makes the entire categorization process more precarious and less efficient.
Public libraries are those maintained by municipalities, states or the Federal Government and serve all audiences. As they are seen as cultural instruments, they are under the policy of the Federal Government, the former Ministry of Culture and currently, after the extinction of the folder, the Special Secretariat for Culture. School and university libraries, intended for students, teachers and employees of private educational institutions, are not included in this list.
Future plans for public libraries in Brazil
One of the goals of the National Culture Plan of the Bolsonaro government, a set of objectives for the sector with valid until 2024, is “to guarantee the installation and maintenance of libraries in all municipalities Brazilians". However, the loss of more than 700 libraries over the past few years makes achieving this goal more difficult.