SCHOOL READING IN GUARAPARI (ES): BETWEEN MEDIATION AND PUBLIC POLICIES
ENTRE MEDIAÇÃO E POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS
Keywords:
Public policies; school library; information mediation; reading; Information Science.Abstract
Reading is a fundamental element for critical thinking, human development, and democratic access to information, especially in the school context. In this scenario, public policies to encourage reading assume a strategic role in guaranteeing the right to information and promoting reading skills. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of public policies to encourage reading proposed by the municipal administration of Guarapari, Espírito Santo, and to understand the impacts of the absence of librarians on reading mediation in elementary education. The research adopted a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach, using bibliographic research, documentary research, and the application of semi-structured questionnaires to teachers, school administrators, and librarians from the municipal network. Data analysis was performed using Content Analysis, allowing the identification of categories related to reading mediation, informational infrastructure, and pedagogical practices. The results revealed a contradiction between the robustness of municipal normative documents and the structural precariousness of school libraries, especially regarding the insufficient number of librarians. It was also found that the high educational performance of the school investigated is strongly associated with teacher engagement, characterizing a process of overload in reading mediation. It is concluded that the effectiveness of public reading policies depends on valuing the school library as a strategic space for critical training and the ongoing work of qualified professionals in information mediation.