PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY NETWORKS IN SOUTH AMERICA

SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

The study examines how public school library networks in South America contribute to strengthening basic education and advancing the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Considering historical inequalities, institutional fragilities, and technological asymmetries, the research analyzes how different countries structure policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at democratizing access to information, reading, and learning. This qualitative and documentary investigation is based on a systematic literature review, content analysis, and source triangulation, including national legislation, institutional reports, and case studies. The results show that the relationship between legislation and practice is decisive for the consolidation of networks: while Chile, Uruguay, and Colombia present articulated models integrated into the curriculum, countries such as Paraguay, Bolivia, and Venezuela rely on local initiatives to compensate for normative and infrastructural gaps. Technical training of staff and the technological dimension emerge as critical axes for strengthening school libraries. The study also discusses the potential of the Regional Integrated System of School Libraries as a cooperation strategy capable of reducing asymmetries and expanding access to information. It concludes that public school libraries organized in networks constitute strategic infrastructure for building more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable educational systems in South America.