Gender Specialized libraries in Argentina: historical survey and current situation.

Abstract

This article is part of a research to obtain a degree in Library and information sciences from the National University of Mar del Plata. The objective is to identify gender specialized libraries in Argentina, register their history and problems in order to give them visibility. It is an exploratory-descriptive study, with a non-experimental-cross-sectional design.Interviews were conducted remotely with the staff from each of the four libraries included in the research. Starting with exploratory interviews, then the research was expanded with needed questions for each case. The first part of the work contains a historical survey of gender libraries in Argentina. The second part includes the information obtained from the interviews and then the subsequent conclusions. It was possible to identify at least four specialized gender libraries in Argentina. Their problems and strengths were detected, as well as the community and cultural outreach that each institution carries out as another way of approaching the community to spread the gender perspective.