The importance of Law 12.244/10 for the benefit of School Libraries

Abstract

In the formation of citizens, the library plays a crucial role in the cultural enrichment of those who frequent it. Inserted within the school community, it can support teachers in teaching and research practice. Law 12.244/10 is considered a historic landmark, as it presents the importance of this environment for both public and private schools. After 10 years of approval, many schools have still not regularized. Therefore, the research has the general main of investigating the challenges faced in the implementation of Law 12.244/10 and how the librarian can contribute to optimizing the school environment through library management. Its specific mains are: a) Assess the context and history of school library legislation in Brazil; b) Investigate the typical role and responsibilities of the school librarian; and c) Analyze the impact of the school library and the librarian on students' academic performance. An applied research methodology was proposed, adopting exploratory research, with a qualitative approach. Data collection occurred through material analysis. Three interviews with librarians working in different regions of the country were analyzed about the challenges of implementing law 12.244/10. As a result, it can be highlighted that librarians point to the approval of the law as a historic milestone, but question its incompleteness, as the law alone does not fully meet all the needs of professionals and school libraries. It is concluded that there are flaws in the law as there was no participation of librarians during its drafting. A restructuring of the law is proposed so that it can more effectively serve professionals and the school community through libraries.