An investigation of the experiences of Nicaraguan Costen˜o librarians
- Autores: Ana Ndumu, Lorraine Mon
- Localización: IFLA journal, ISSN 0340-0352, Vol. 44, Nº. 2, 2018, págs. 106-118
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
This research examines the experiences of librarians in Bluefields, Nicaragua. Semi-structured interviews and photovoice activities were used to investigate librarians’ professional development, daily operations, and ways of meeting the information needs of Costen˜os—or, Miskitu, Rama, and Sumu indigenous groups as well as African-descending Creoles. The findings suggest that librarians’ accounts coincide with established knowledge on Nicaragua’s library landscape: libraries are predominantly formal and education-related; Nicaraguan society values oral knowledge or word-of-mouth information; and when compared with academic libraries, Nicaraguan public libraries are fewer and lack resources. Libraries on the Atlantic coast can strengthen their services through collaborations as well as culturally-based services. Additionally, the photovoice technique was found to be an effective tool for conducting research involving multicultural communities.
