LIBRARY COOPERATION IN COSTA RICA: AN UPDATE

Ana Cecilia Torres

Abstract — Inglés

In her 1985 Ph.D. dissertation, Torres analyzed how library cooperation — which she defined as a means of dealing with such problems as inadequate resources, duplication of technical services, and lack of professional development — had been impeded by various obstacles, including ineffective leadership, poor public relations, and lack of guidelines. Her present article, an update of her earlier study, discusses how for the most part barriers to library cooperation in Costa Rica have been overcome by the new information technology and the creation of the Sistema Nacional de Informacin (SNI). Although some problems involving database maintenance, user priorities, and technical training still exist, interlibrary loan services have expanded and the production of bibliographic materials has increased. Furthermore the SNI has provided an environment conducive to the creative exchange of ideas among librarians, as seen in the growth of dynamic professional associations and a new sense of professional fulfillment.

Abstract — Español

Bibliotecas médicas en el Caribe y Centro América
La tesis doctoral de Ana Cecilia Torres elaborada en 1985 analizó como la cooperación bibliotecaria—que ella definió como los medios mediante los cuales se resuelven los problemas como los recursos inadecuados, la duplicación de los servicios técnicos y la ausencia de desarrollo profesional—se ha visto impedida por varios obstáculos, entre ellos incluídos el inadecuado liderazgo, relaciones públicas pobres, y la falta de normas. Su presente artículo es una actualización de su anterior estudio, donde se discute como en la mayoría de los casos, las barreras a la cooperación bibliotecaria en Costa Rica se han superado por la nueva tecnología informática y la creación del Sistema Nacional de Información (SNI). Aunque algunos problemas referentes al mainteniemiento de bancos de datos, las prioridades de los usarios y la capacitación técnica todavía existen, los servicos de préstamo interbibliotecario se han extendido y la producción de materiales bibliográficos ha aumentado.

Además, el SNI ha proporcionado el ambiente conductivo para el intercambio creativo de ideas entre bibliotecarios, como se demuestra en el crecimiento dinámico de las asociaciones profesionales y el nuevo sentido de satisfacción profesional.

This article reviews the innovations in Costa Rican librarianship over the past five years, and considers their impact on cooperation among librarians. Basic information on cooperation in the country was presented for the first time in my doctoral dissertation of 1985[1 ]. At that time the major barriers to cooperation fell into the administrative and governance area, while the lack of guidelines for implementing cooperative arrangements was another problem. The study recommended looking for a holistic model, which would address different kinds of problems at the same time, and suggested repeating the study in a few years to see what had changed.

Changes Affecting Library Cooperation

Some of the changes in information technology go back a number of years. In 1984 Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. (RACSA) started operation of data transmission with its service RACSA-DATOS, utilizing a satellite connection to Washington and a node of TYMNET, and by 1986 was offering such services as access to remote and national databases and electronic mail. In 1987 RACSA started its public network for data transmission, using packet switching technique, connecting terminals and computers, allowing direct interconnection with other networks. Services include the following: facsimile (RACSAFAX), access to remote databases, funds transfer, storage and sending, electronic mail, and remote processing. As a small country, Costa Rica can take advantage of a well-equipped public network. According to Almada, "There is no doubt that Costa Rica has an information development that can be used to increase and strengthen its own information processing." [2 ] However, as of 1989 even though Costa Rica had "a telecommunication infrastructure considered as one of the best in Latin America, efforts to systematize the storage and transfer of information are incipient." [3 ]

Although Costa Rica had established a National Science and Technology Council (CONICIT) in 1972 and that body felt that information was one of the essential components in the nation's socio-economic development, concrete plans for a national information system evolved very slowly; in 1987 it was proposed to link seven governmental agencies (Ministry of Export; Social Security Office; Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Mines; Technological Institute of Costa Rica; Ministry of Agriculture; and CONICIT) [4 ]. Reflecting these component units, the main subject areas to be served would be imports and exports, health, agriculture, energy, commerce and industry, and science and technology. The system would retrieve material from databases and provide hard copies; it would operate through computers and telecommunications, supported by RACS and utilizing a UNIX operating system. Three types of files would be required: user file, search request file, and user financial control [5 ].

Impact on Library Cooperation

According to Jiménez, "It can be stated that the greater part of the services offered by the [component] information and documentation centers are very similar to those offered by a traditional library: in-house use, interlibrary loans, photocopies and alert services." [6 ] Products coming from the system are alert bulletins, contents summaries, bibliographic reference lists, and SDI bulletins. Other activities would be preparing an inventory of research in progress, an inventory of human resources in science and technology, an inventory of national and international databases, and a union list of serials [7 ].

There remain a number of problems:

Information is not always properly processed as it should be through creation and maintenance of databases and interconnection of the centers through RACSA and through user education programs.
Institutions must define user priorities in developing services.
Jimnez suggests training staff in information management, techniques to promote information use, and techniques for accessing new information sources [8 ].
Products and services must be directed to meeting user needs. Users should periodically meet to evaluate the services offered and to provide suggestions for improvement.
There must be a basic leveling to respond to the uneven development of some information centers. Component centers should define objectives, equipment needs, and training needs.
Development of standards [9 ]. The Centers should develop information standards, system compatibility, user-friendly systems, and cost/benefit relations.

The creation of the National Information System (SNI) has led to the creative exchange of ideas among libraries, an improvement on the 1985 situation. A number of organizations are active:

The Micro Isis Users Group. At present there is a group of 190 members who use bibliographic databases via the Micro Isis software donated by UNESCO. The group meets regularly to exchange experiences.
AIBDA-COSTA RICA. The Costa Rica chapter of the International Association of Agricultural Librarians and Documentalists (AIBDA) has 100 members. It promotes cultural, educational, and professional activities.
Librarians Association. The Association (Colegio) provides several activities for its 400 members. Monthly presentations feature training, updating, and special topics.

All of these activities have brought about a change in the attitudes of librarians and have also improved the low visibility of the profession that I reported in 1985. A study conducted by Solorzano and Vargas reports high satisfaction among librarians according to the Maslow needs categories [10 ]. The librarians reported a high sense of self esteem and highly-satisfactory sense of belonging to the profession.

Conclusion

After some years, the attitudes toward cooperation held by librarians in Costa Rica have changed in a positive manner. The governance of the National Information System has served as a model and has created new expectations for improving services.

The major reason for overcoming the barriers to cooperation is a new environment which allows better communication among librarians. Another reason is that funding, if not wholly sufficient, has at least provided a good start. Regular meetings and training sessions organized by CONICIT have helped. Technical implementation of the National Information System, scheduled to begin in 1992, will be the outcome of information processing and database creation. These activities started several years ago with the union list of serials project for academic libraries.

By participating in innovation, librarians have received a sense of fulfillment. Learning, utilizing, and sharing experiences with library automation provide a solid foundation for the coming years.

References

1 Ana Cecilia Torres, Barriers to Library Cooperation in Costa Rica, Ph.D. dissertation, Texas Woman's University, 1985, p.1.

2 Margarita Almada de Ascencio, "Transferencia de tecnologa de la informacin a los pases latinoamericanos," In: Simposio: la bibliotecologa ante el ao 2000, San José, Costa Rica, December 1987, p. 12.

3 Ana Cecilia Torres, "Automated Information System on Gerontology," In: Proceedings of the XIVth International Congress on Gerontology, Acapulco, Mexico, June 18-23, 1989, p. 7.

4 Jeanette Alfaro and Marjorie Pérez, Creación de una base de datos sobre biotecnología, Thesis, Universidad de Costa Rica, 1991, p. 48.

5 Max Cerdas, "Componente información, difusión y extensión," in: Memoria seminario nacional de política de información en ciencia y tecnología, October 1988, p. 19.

6 Flora Jiménez, "La información científica y technológica en Costa Rica," in: Memoria seminario nacional, op.cit., p. 47.

7 Cerdas, p. 20.

8 Jiménez, p. 48.

9 Ibid., p. 48.

10 Rafael Solorzano and Virginia Vargas, El bibliotecario costarricense con respecto a las necesidades de afiliación y estima segun la jerarquía de necesidades de A. Maslow, Thesis, Universidad de Costa Rica, 1989, p. 132.

About the Author

Ana Cecilia Torres is Associate Profesor, School of Library and Information Science, University of Costa Rica, San José