Diagnosis in School Library

application report in the Library of the Centro Estadual de Educação Profissional Prof.ª Lourdinha Guerra

Abstract

Introduction: This article is a case study that presents the results of an organizational diagnosis conducted in the school library of the Centro Estadual de Educação Profissional Prof.ª Lourdinha Guerra, developed as a practical activity in the Planning in Information Units course of the Librarianship program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Objective: to discuss information unit management and explain how the organizational diagnosis was designed and applied, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the library. Methodology: This is an exploratory and descriptive applied research with a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). Regarding procedures, it combines bibliographic, documentary, and field research. The documentary phase included the analysis of databases and institutional and journalistic publications to characterize the CEEP Prof.ª Lourdinha Guerra. Field research involved empirical data collection in the school environment. The research universe included the school administration, teachers, and students. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview with the principal and an online questionnaire applied to teachers and students, obtaining 33 teacher responses and 185 student responses. The data were analyzed in an integrated manner, articulating qualitative and quantitative evidence. Results: Findings indicate that the main weakness is the absence of a librarian, which affects management, services, and information mediation. The collection was considered insufficient to meet the school curriculum, in addition to limitations in infrastructure, digital access, and opening hours. Strategic recommendations were proposed to improve the collection, expand services, and integrate the library into school planning. Conclusion: Recommendations were presented to strengthen management and integrate the library into institutional planning to mitigate issues within the organizational culture.