Country Brief, August 2012
Social Inclusion Policy and Open Access to Information: The Role of Public Libraries in Peru Introduction Peru is making important steps forward in transparency, civic participation and social inclusion. The Digital Agenda 2.0 provides a blueprint for an inclusive knowledge and information society.1 The number of services available through e-government is growing. The Defensoría del Pueblo ensures a voice for the most disadvantaged. Peru’s commitments as part of the Open Government Partnership symbolize a national effort for democratic and responsive government.
Peru:
729 public libraries
Libraries and development Libraries can fill a needed role in Peru’s development and social inclusion. Modern libraries around the world are trusted community resources central to meeting local development goals. They contribute to the improvement of quality of life by providing the opportunity to access knowledge and ICTs, and a space for citizens to engage with their government and community. Some libraries in Peru are already taking the steps necessary to transform, and their example could be a model for the country.
Despite progress, a significant gap remains for many Peruvians. Though new information and services are available online, few Peruvian citizens are aware of their availability and many lack the access or skills to use them. They lack guidance and training in applying these new possibilities to improve their lives and those of their communities. Peru needs a strong, local institution that helps people adapt to and benefit from the knowledge and information society. More than 700 public libraries around the country have the potential to serve those needs and become a trusted community partner providing access, information and training.
A new era for Peru Peru is on the verge of a development breakthrough. Economically, the country has made great strides in the last few years. Based on data provided by the World Bank Doing Business 2012 report, Peru is now among Latin America’s top reformers.2 The government is making a concerted effort to extend these new economic benefits to the whole population through social policies and initiatives promoting inclusion, education, transparency, equality and open government. ICTs are seen widely through the government as a legitimate tool for fostering social development and citizen engagement. Many national policies have been complemented by information and tools that are currently available online. However, there remains a gap in how citizens will access all this content, information and opportunities, and if they have the skills to do so.
www.beyondaccess.net
Page 1
It is a common belief in Peru that people without other access can meet their information and knowledge needs through the more than 30,000 cabinas públicas, or for-profit internet cafes. Cabinas are important information resources and a critical part of Peru’s information infrastructure. But they typically do not have a specific focus on the training, guidance and community services required in order to apply ICTs to development needs. The gender gap in relation to ICTs may reflect this: While 32.6% of men access the internet in Peru, only 25.4% of women do so – cabinas are often not welcoming spaces where women feel comfortable seeking information or asking for assistance.3 Development outcomes require ICT access points promoted as community spaces open to everyone. It is critical that citizens are empowered to participate actively in public policy development processes and to make good use of all the tools, content and possibilities available. The challenge is evident. How can all Peruvians access government information and programs, regardless of location, gender, age, disabilities, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or other demographic factors that can be a source of exclusion? The potential role of libraries in development Public libraries have been respected and trusted community spaces for centuries as places to access information and knowledge. In the 21st century, libraries around the world are evolving into knowledge and community spaces in which computers, the internet, e-books and even people can be accessed. Integration with ICTs has made modern libraries into the natural focal point for knowledge and information access. In many places in Latin America and around the world, the library is the only place where people can have free, unrestricted access to information and knowledge, and a connection between the government and its citizens.
In Chile and Colombia, libraries are now equipped to become key community stakeholders. As part of the knowledge society, they constantly evolve and innovate, designing new strategies for reaching people and serving their development needs: In Medellín, Colombia, public and private sector organizations decided to bring computers and the internet to the metropolitan region´s libraries in 2006. Today, the Medellín metropolitan region hosts 61 libraries that all provide free ICT access to all citizens. Libraries equipped with ICTs and trained librarians have become integrated centers relied on by all for community participation, training on a variety of topics and youth engagement. In poor and isolated communities throughout Chile, libraries provide access to computers and the internet through the BiblioRedes program. A network of 412 public libraries and 18 regional training labs with computers and internet access has trained a quarter of a million Chileans in digital literacy.4 Current state of libraries in Peru There are 729 public libraries in Peru. Many libraries in the country are already serving community needs in innovative ways, proving that the concept is valid in Peru, and that there is potential for scale: In Piura, the public library is the city’s meeting place. The library’s leaders, the engagement of the local authority and the library´s capacity to coordinate with other community based, non-profit, educational and government organizations have made the library a safe and vibrant hub for activity. In Callao, Lima the public library is managed through an NGO (CEDRO – Centro de Información y Educación para la Prevención del Abuso de Drogas) that focuses on information and communication for the prevention of drug use, offers access to ICT and engages the community in its activities.
www.beyondaccess.net
Page 2
In Cocachacra, the mayor supports the library and is looking into how to broaden information access possibilities for all. Finally, the National Library, through the National Libraries System, has been promoting the “Libraries for the Future” initiative with two pilots, one in Los Aquijes and another one in La Tinguiña (Ica Province). All of these initiatives are complemented by the Colegio de Bibliotecólogos del Perú (National College of Librarians), the official librarians’ state association. Members believe that libraries can play an active role in meeting local development goals and are working to prepare library professionals to fulfill new responsibilities. Libraries exist in large numbers and are a costeffective, scalable way to meet Peru’s citizen engagement objectives.
Policy Recommendations Based on the Beyond Access visit and analysis, these are some concrete steps that can support and strengthen libraries in Peru as critical knowledge and information hubs for development: For the Government of Peru 1. Libraries should be acknowledged as strategic partners for the Government for providing access to information to all citizens. The Government in Peru already produces useful information, knowledge and services, and has the public policies in place that underline and promote the importance of information and access. The Government needs to ensure that this information reaches all Peruvians regardless of their location and demographic conditions. Public libraries are a cost-effective solution to this challenge. Peru´s Digital Agenda and Open Government action plan should incorporate public libraries as key partners for meeting its objectives and make sure citizens can use tools
and equipment productively. This could be done by supporting training in digital and information literacy that promote the adoption of ICTs and by supporting the National Libraries System Law that is being promoted by the National Library that will promote quality in the access to culture, information, and knowledge. 2. Commitments to information for all should match commitments to the institutions that can support this. Investment in public libraries would build upon the Government’s strong commitment and progress towards building an information and knowledge society, going beyond access to providing skills that will enable citizens to take advantage of the Government strong commitment to citizen services. There are different funding sources in Peru, which through coordinated actions and commitments could be directed to the modernization of libraries. Libraries could be an invaluable asset for the Government´s decentralization strategy since they are located throughout the country and have the potential to be the link with citizens. The mining royalty cannon should be opened to the possibility of funding libraries, as well. Participatory budgeting should allow communities to think about solutions to issues related to access to ICT through investments in improving libraries. Local governments should be encouraged to support and fund libraries as a 21st century solution to information access barriers. 3. The librarian position should be recognized as valuable and permanent. At the local level, policies should be adopted that ensure that investment in skills is not lost when new local administrations take office. New library science graduates should see professional development options in a public library where they can sustainably learn and contribute to society with the right economic compensation and incentives.
www.beyondaccess.net
Page 3
For Peru’s library community 1. Training in relevant modern information needs should be made available to librarians. Books and reference services will always be fundamental to public libraries, but cannot be the only services in a modern library. Library staff should be able to identify the needs of their community, build partnerships and facilitate community participation, becoming infomediaries who have the skills and knowledge to guide citizens on how to use information to improve their lives. Librarians should be offered ongoing training, networks for sharing experiences, and constant motivation to be leaders. Peru already has two library science programs that can be supported to respond to this new librarian role. 2. The “Libraries for the Future” pilot project should be expanded and promoted. The National Library is working with local mayors to develop and support a model of a modern public library relevant to Peru.
References
The success of these partnerships can become a showcase for all of Peru, and it is important for communities from around the country to witness and learn about this opportunity. Visibility of the pilot projects is critical in order to achieve this, and should be prioritized. Summary Libraries in Peru can become developmentoriented community access points. Libraries are there, information is there, the Government´s commitment to information society and open access is there, a strong civil society and private sector is there, and citizens are in great need to be included in the knowledge and information society. What´s missing is the link among all these programs and initiatives. Modern libraries are that link. Peru’s public libraries can become the place that citizens depend on to access the information and knowledge that they need, and a space governments depend on to connect to citizens.
Primarily based on a March 2012 Beyond Access trip to Peru, this brief is informed by site visits to public libraries and interviews with stakeholders from the public, private and civil society sectors. It is also supported by background research and case studies from successful library experiences around the world.
1. Oficina Nacional de Gobierno Electrónico e Informática. (2011). Plan de Desarrollo de la Sociedad de la Información en el Perú: La Agenda Digital 2.0. <http:// www.codesi.gob.pe/docs/AgendaDigital20_28octubre_2011.pdf> 2. World Bank Group. (2012). Doing Business in Peru. <http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/fpdkm/doing%20business/documents/profiles/country/PER.pdf> 3. Bossio, J. F., and Sotomayor, K. (2008). Public access to information & ICTs: Peru Phase II Report. Seattle: Technology & Social Change Group (formerly the Center for Information & Society), University of Washington. <http://faculty.washington.edu/rgomez/projects/landscape/country-reports/Peru/Report_Peru.pdf> 4. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2011). “BiblioRedes: Helping People in Rural Chile Get Online.” <http://www.gatesfoundation.org/topics/Pages/biblioredesglobal-libraries-internet-access-chile-video.aspx>
About Beyond Access: Beyond Access is an initiative of IREX, EIFL, IFLA, Makaia, Civic Regeneration, TASCHA, The Riecken Foundation, and READ Global, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
www.beyondaccess.net
Page 4