Public library and information access: challenges for the information society in Brazil and Spain

Objective. It presents a theoretical discussion of the concept of the library as a democratic institution that is directly related to the right to information, which guarantees access to knowledge, culture, education and leisure according to their functions and the Manifesto UNESCO. Method. This is an exploratory study with qualitative, quantitative analysis and dialectical method. It was made in public libraries in Brazil and Spain, noting aspects of interactivity and connectivity, as assumptions necessary for the information society. Results. The theoretical framework is based on studies of Suaiden (2012); Felicia Soto (2006); Jaramillo, et al (2008 which introduced questions about the mission of the public library and the challenges for the information society, plus Cuevas-Cervero (2009) and Cuevas-Cervero and Simeon (2011), who point to the involvement of public library as a place of training for informational learning. Conclusoes. The information society requires free access to information to those who need it in any medium or format, including electronic. However, we still have social inequalities responsible for the digital divide.