Entre vozes e percepções: a Política do Livro, Leitura e Biblioteca sob o olhar da pessoa Bibliotecária na cidade de João Pessoa/PB

Abstract

This research investigates the perception and professional role of librarians regarding public policies on books, reading, and libraries in the municipality of João Pessoa, Paraíba (PB), Brazil. Grounded in the Latin American context and the concept of Abya Yala, the study recognizes the library as a cultural device that can either reproduce social inequalities or serve as an instrument of emancipation. The research was guided by the central question: what is the librarian’s perception of public policies, and how do they act within this field at the municipal level? A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to librarians working in João Pessoa, recruited via the Professional Association of Librarians of Paraíba (APB-PB). The theoretical framework conceives public policies as dynamic processes in which both state action and omission reveal political priorities. The historical analysis demonstrated that book and reading policies in Brazil carry a centralizing legacy since the establishment of the National Book Institute in 1937, alongside significant normative advances such as the National Policy for Reading and Writing (2018) and the laws mandating the universalization of school libraries (Laws 12.244/2010 and 14.837/2024). However, these milestones coexist with chronic institutional instability and persistent implementation challenges. At the local level, the research identified a “management vacuum” in João Pessoa, where the absence of a municipal plan prevents the alignment of state and federal policies with the specific needs of the territory. Empirical findings revealed a highly qualified professional profile—predominantly women with postgraduate degrees and experience—yet marked by significant contradictions: the acknowledgment of the importance of public policies (100% assigned the highest rating) coexists with a formative gap in the field (57.1% did not study the topic during their undergraduate education); strong affiliation with professional associations contrasts with low participation in decision-making bodies; belief in individual transformative potential (100%) coexists with a perception of collective disunity (71.4%); and criticism of professional devaluation has not translated into organized strategies for recognition. These dissonances reveal the political fragility of the profession and highlight the need to overcome the model of a “technical librarianship” in favor of a “political librarianship.” As pathways for transformation, the research recommends the institutionalization of permanent forums for coordination, the development of systematic advocacy strategies, the establishment of communication protocols with public authorities, and the building of alliances with social movements in education and culture. The transformation of the library landscape in João Pessoa will ultimately depend on the librarian’s ability to constitute themselves as a collective political subject capable of translating technical expertise into political influence.