Perceptions on cultural mediation in libraries concerning/Related to national and international literature

Abstract

In recent decades the term mediation has been gaining increasing attention in studies and research in Information Science. However, although mediation is a concept studied in Information Science, it is still incipient in a cultural context requiring the development of further reliable/consistent meanings. Thus, the aim of the study was to conduct a survey in Brazilian and foreign literature (with emphasis on the French literature, as there is a prominent production on the subject in French) in order to clarify the concepts. Reflecting on these concepts, we endeavor to make connections that favor a broader understanding of the area, which is plural and complex, advancing the understanding and definition of cultural mediation in the context of libraries. The methodological procedures used were the qualitative, exploratory research and a bibliographical research method. The results show that the concept of mediation is highlighted by its centrality in social interactions and symbolic mediations, now understood as an action inherent to every information professional, with greater social responsibility weight on the professional and the library environment as it is a place for the development of meanings.