The National Public Libraries Program

Some bits and pieces from a previous post.

I found more information about the National Public Libraries Program initiated by President De La Madrid in 1983. In her article “The Economic Crisis and the Scientific, Technical and Cultural Information Services in Mexico”, Fernandez De Zamora discusses the rapid growth of libraries resulting from unprecedented support at all three levels of government (national, state and local). The program ended with successful completion of its mission to establish public libraries in every city of greater than 30,000 people, and library services for every city of fewer than 30,000 containing a secondary school. In five year, 2696 new libraries were created, bringing the total from 351 in 1983 to 3047 in 1988. At the same time, she notes that the economy was falling apart as oil prices fell, so the newly built libraries were immediately faced with the pressure of sharp budget cuts and currency devaluation that reduced the real value of salaries and the purchasing power for collections (1990).

We are currently facing tough economic times in the U.S., when budget cuts are leading to reductions in the services, resources, and instruction libraries have provided to their communities. Does this result in a downward spiral in overall information literacy among a populace that needs to be ready to run the nation’s schools, businesses and government? More people are making use of public libraries as they reduce their spending on books and media, and as they do more job research and hunting online at the library computers. What would take the place of the public library if a community decided the financial costs outweighed the community service benefits?

Reference

Fernández De Zamora, R. M. (1990). The economic crisis and the scientific, technical and cultural information services in Mexico. [doi: DOI: 10.1016/0020-7837(90)90026-C]. International Library Review, 22(4), 263-271.