The educational services of the Benedito Leite Public Library and their relations with sociability, heritage, and the memory of São Luís

what do users say

Abstract

Introduction: Benedito Leite is an important public cultural space in the State of Maranhão, whose actions are aimed at providing Maranhão citizens with access to different informational resources and cultural manifestations promoted in its spaces. Objective: This study aims to describe the perception of the participants of the educational services of the Benedito Leite Public Library focused on the preservation of memory. Methodology: This is an exploratory and descriptive research, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, which made use of systematic observation with a logbook and questionnaires applied to 62 (sixty-two) users participating in the educational services developed by the Benedito Leite Public Library. Results: The users explain a series of facts that Benedito Leite reminds them of, the relationship that the institution establishes with its history, social milestones and the circumstances of these events. It is pointed out that no matter how different the profiles of Benedito Leite users are, their statements converge on the importance of the institution for the preservation of history, memory, material and immaterial heritage. It is reinforced that the users highlighted in their statements aspects such as culture, knowledge, history, heritage, memory, preservation and conservation. Conclusion: Benedito Leite, by mediating and disseminating cultural heritage through its educational products and services, enables the reconstruction of the memory of the citizens of Maranhão and the creation of bonds, made explicit by the symbolic and affective contours between its users and professionals.