understanding mexican libraries : a contemporary overview 12th transborder library forum...
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding Mexican Libraries : A
Contemporary Overview
12th Transborder Library Forum (México-USA-Canadá)“Information without borders”
Universidad Autónoma de ChihuahuaMarch 9-11, 2005
Jesús Lau, Ph.D.Director, USBI VER Library, and Coordinator, UV
Virtual LibraryUniversidad Veracruzana /DGBBoca del Río, Veracruz, México
www.uv.mx/usbi_ver / www.uv.mx/bvirtual
Objectives - Topics
1. Talk about institutions that shape the Mexican library and information world:
Library schools Associations Vendors Serials Conferences Library research centers
2. Evaluate challenges and contributions3. Discuss transborder cooperation potential4. Provide subjective comments5. Data comes from different sources6. Handouts are drafts, corrections are welcome
DemographicsDemographics
14th in geographical size 7th in exports 3rd trade partner of the US Largest Spanish-speaking country 2nd economy in Latin America A middle income country Literacy 90% Ranks with some of the best libraries in
Latin America
Library Historical Dates: 900 – 1700´s
1400 Amoxcalli – Aztec codex (Amoxtli) libraries
1511 First book to arrive in Mexico from Europe
1539 First Printing press
1555 First book published in Mexico - Alonso de Molina Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana
1788 Opening of the first public library – Turriana Library
1790 First Copyright law
1790 Foundation of the National Achives - Archivo General de la Nación (Original name: Archivo General de la Nueva
España)
1867 Decree to create the National Library – Biblioteca Nacional
1882 National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics (Originally as Dirección Geografía y Estadística, DGE) – Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas, Geografía e Informática
1921 First Department of Public Libraries, Ministry of Public Education - Dirección de Bibliotecas Populares
1922 First public library building - Biblioteca Publica Cervantes
1924/1954 Mexican Association of Librarians – Asociación Mexicana de Bibliotecarios, AC
1945 National School of Library and Archive Sciences – Escuela Nacional de Biblioteconomía y Archivonomía
Library Historical Dates: 1800 - 1950
1956 Opening of the UNAM Central Library Building - Biblioteca Central UNAM
1957 First National Library Conference - Jornadas Mexicanas de Biblioteconomía, organized annually since 1974
1970 Foundation National Council of Science and Technology (An early funding body for special and university libraries) – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
1972 Starts first library science Master´s Degree – UNAM
1975 First academic library building of a technological institute – IT Saltillo
1979 Foundation of the National Association of Professional Librarians - Colegio Nacional de Bibliotecarios, AC
1978 First Mexican integral (mainframe) library system – LIBRUNAM, UNAM
Library Historical Dates: Library Historical Dates: 1950 - 19801950 - 1980
1983 First release of library software SIABUC (Most popular free library software) – Universidad de Colima
1984 Foundation of the National Council for Academic Libraries – CONPAB-IES, Consejo Nacional de
Asuntos Bibliotecarios de Instituciones de Educación Superior
1986 First librarian to get a Ph.D (from the US) - Jaime Pontigo
1999 UNAM Ph.D. Program opens - UNAM
2003 Mexican Information Literacy Standards - UACJ
Library Historical Dates: 1990 - 2000
Library StatisticsType Centers Volumes
School 4,689 17,162,907
Academic 1,133 16,422,598
Special 175 2,576,889
Public 5,313 27,067,572
National 1 1,250,000
Others 5 449,160
Total 11,315 64,179,126
Library Education
9 Library and information science schools
7 Undergraduate 4 Master´s programs 1 Ph.D
2 Two distance programs (One is web based)
1 Offers achives studies Mostly located in central México
LIS Schools Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua Escuela Nacional de Biblioteconomía y
Archivonomía Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de
Monterrey El Colegio de México, AC Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara
Library Education - Comments
Strengths:• Faculty (part-time) do their best • Qualified graduates in technical skills
Challenges:3. Full-time faculty4. Professional competencies (English,
management)5. Do research
Library Associations AMBAC - Asociación Mexicana de Bibliotecarios,
AC, 1924 www.ambac.org.mx
CNB - Colegio Nacional de Bibliotecarios, AC (CNB), 1979 www.cnb.org.mx
ASAR - Asociación de Administradores de Recursos Informativos, AC (Chihuahua), 1998 www.asar.org.mx
BIBAC - Asociación de Bibliotecarios en Biomedicina, AC, 1976 www.difusion.com.mx/proficsa/
Library Associations (2) ABJ - Asociación Jalisciense de Bibliotecarios, AC
(AJBAC), 1979 www.ajbac.org/
ANBAGRO - Asociación Nacional de Bibliotecarios Agropecuarios, AC, 1983
AMABPAC - Asociación Mexicana de Archivos y Bibliotecas Privados, AC, 1994 www.amabpac.org.mx/
Other: Nuevo León, Baja California, Michoacán, Sonora
Associations - Comments
Strengths: Do their best with low fees Hard work of leaders
Challenges: Modernize their management Become economically self-sufficient Offer relevant services to membership
Research Centers
Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas (UNAM)
Centro de Investigaciones Bibliográficas, Biblioteca Nacional (UNAM)
Library Research - Comments
CUIB: Good publishing output Cover different subjects One of the best centers, if not the best in
Latin America (LA) A good source of written materiales for LA Publishes a leading library science journal Produce the LA library science database A good specialized library science library
Library Serials
Biblioteca Universitaria: Boletín informativo - Dirección General de Bibliotecas (UNAM)
Bibliotecas y Archivos (ENBA) Información, producción, comunicación y
servicios (Infoconsultores) Investigación Bibliotecológica:
archivonomía, bibliotecología e información (UNAM)
Library Serials
LIBER: Revista de Bibliotecología (AMBAC)
Noticiero (AMBAC) Boletín Informativo de ASAR Memorias- Jornadas Mexicanas de
Biblioteconomía (AMBAC) Infobila – Bibliographic database
(UNAM) Other: Conference Proceedings
Library Serials - Comments
Strenghts: Good number of serials One is a journal Jornadas proceedings, an excellent source
of monographic information
Comments: Eager to get overseas paper contributions Need for more journal-type publications Create titles with best practices focus
General Library Conferences
– Jornadas Mexicanas de Biblioteconomía, AMBAC, 1957-
– Coloquio Internacional de Bibliotecarios, FIL-UDG, 1993?-
– Reunión Celebración Biblioteca de Ciencia y Tecnología, IPN, 1999-
– Reunión de bibliotecarios de la Península de Yucatán, UADY, 1995?-
Specialized Library Conferences Library Research
– Coloquio Internacional de Investigación Bibliotecológica y de Información, CUIB, 1980-
Information Literacy– Encuentro sobre Desarrollo de Habilidades
Informativas, UACJ, 1998- (Bi-annual)
Cooperation– Foro Transfronterizo de Bibliotecas, Host
varies, 1990- (Bi-annual)– Amigos, UDLA, 2000- (Bi-annual)
Specialized Library Conferences (2)
Automation / IT– Interfaces, UCOL, 1983-– Enlínea@2004, ITESM-CM, 1998-
Academic Libraries – Conferencia Internacional sobre Bibliotecas
Universitarias, UNAM, 2000-– Reunión Anual (de bibliotecas académicas),
CONPAB, 19
Management– Coloquio sobre Capital humano y Liderazgo en
Bibliotecas, UV, 2003-
Conferences - Comments
Strengths: Good number of conference opportunities Participation of some Latin American
professionals Some publish proceedings or best papers
Comments: Prepare conference calls ahead of time Select theme and location with enough time Promote them beyond national borders Welcome speakers from abroad
Main International Vendors Brodart CSA EBSCO México Elsevier Grupo Difusión Científica (Thompson) Infoconsultores Infoestratégica (Dialog, EIU, BL) Información Científica Internacional (ICI) ISI Emerging Markets Infolatina) Proquest OCLC Swets Information Services
International Vendors - Comments
Strenghts: Good presence in México Cover a good number of products Have gradually learned about the marked They chose the country for LA their operations
Comments: Try to sell products the country does not need Use pricing schemes of information developed
countries Need vision to create local products
Mexican Library Software Companies
1. Janium Technology (Janium)2. Sistemas Lógicos (Logicat)3. Universidad de Colima (SIABUC)
Strengths and comments Strong library software presence of
Mexico in Latin America Need to keep abreast of users´ needs
Publishing
Strengths: Most big book publishers operate in
country México is a leader in book printing in LA Children´s literature has a good output
Comments: Bookstores are scarce, aproximate figures
of all book outlets is 500
Book Fairs Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara
(November)
Feria del Libro de Minería (México City, March)
Feria del Libro Infantil (November, México City)
Feria Internacional del Libro Universitario (Veracruz, September)
Fería del Libro de la Ciudad de Monterrey (September)
Several smaller book fairs take place in the major cities
Universities with the best Libraries(Holdings, Buildings, Professional Librarians, National Visibility)
COLMEX El Colegio de México ITESM Instituto Tec. de Estudios Sup. de Monterrey UACJ Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez UANL Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León UASLP Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí UCOL Universidad de Colima UDEM Universidad de Monterrey UDG Universidad de Guadalajara UDLA Universidad de las Américas UNAM Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UV Universidad Veracruzana
Books Vendors
CSI DOMEXSA Educomsa GlobalBook Grupo Difusión Científica Nye Omicron Somohano Express YBP
Transborder NAFTA CooperationRelevant to Mexico
Training Visiting professors to library schools Conference attendance Speaking at conferences Web information link exchange Librarians visits and stays Translation of library
materiales/publications
Transborder NAFTA CooperationRelevant to Mexico (2)
Exhibiting in Mexican conferences Join library association memberships Collaborative preservation of special
collections Exchange of best library practices Other: Joint digital proyects, joint
borrowing agreements
Conclusions
Important to know NAFTA neighbours, paves the way to cooperation
Mexican library scene is shaped on North American practices
Libraries date back to several centuries
Good library development in recent decades
Conclusions (2)
Current library challenges are: budgets, visibility, management and technology
Mexican library market is still small
There are opportunities for collaboration across borders
Cooperation is permeated by organization culture, and socio-economic development