Media and Information Literacy in Portuguese School Libraries: A Longitudinal Study with Elementary School Students

The evaluation process of school libraries, developed by the Portuguese School Libraries Network, has been carried out through the application of a self-evaluation model. The instrument used by teacher librarians is based on a set of elements, including the collection of data through questionnaires applied to students of different schooling levels. In this study we examine the responses obtained through the questionnaires applied in that context, to students from the Portuguese districts of Evora, Leiria, Setubal and Vila Real, in the years 2015, 2017 and 2019. The analysis is focused on activities related to MIL, verifying the incidences and contrasts in the dimensions studied in the observed universe. The self-evaluation Reports from 2019 are also analysed, mainly the strengths and weaknesses pointed out by teacher librarians. Considering students' responses, the results show several gaps in the work carried out by libraries, especially in the 1st cycle of basic education, and in activities more related to an active attitude on the part of students in the use of digital resources.