TITLE: Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies by Brazilian public libraries
AUTHORS: Michelângelo M Viana, GIOVANA DELIBERALI MAIMONE

[DESCRIPTION]
This research protocol was used for an academic master's degree research, the objective of which was to analyze the current panorama of Brazilian public libraries regarding the adoption and provision of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), from the perspective of the libraries themselves, for the management of its operations and for the provision of information and communication resources and services to its end users. This study is developed in three main phases. In Phase 1, a bibliographic and exploratory research was carried out on public libraries, focusing on the purpose, resources, services, information and communication technologies (ICTs) used, and experiences of adopting these technologies in Brazil and abroad. Sources include databases such as LISTA with FT, Brazil CAPES Theses and Dissertations Catalog, NDLTD and BRAPCI. Phase 2 involved descriptive research using an online questionnaire to identify ICTs adopted by Brazilian public libraries. Invitations were sent by email to libraries registered with the National Public Library System (SNBP). The sample selects five libraries from each macro-region of Brazil, prioritizing the most populous cities according to The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) data. The questionnaire addresses dimensions such as operations management, information resources and services, and communication. In Phase 3, the collected data was compiled, presenting it in analytical and graphical tables. The results were compared with bibliographical research to understand the ICTs adopted by public libraries. The final phase discussed the results in relation to the research objectives, contributions to the field, study limitations, and recommendations for future research, culminating in a final summary. See attached Free and Informed Consent Form (TCLE) and Questionnaire.

[BEFORE_START]
Prepare the form to collect the data (electronic questionnaire), the Free and Informed Consent Form (to display to participants and get the consent), the list of e-mail addresses to send the invitation and the invitation letter (e-mail message). If it is a research in Brazil with people (human beings), Brazilian law requires the reseachers must submit the project to the respective Research Ethics Committee for appreciation and approval, prior to send the invitations to participate. See it in the "Guidelines" section the procedures adopted for this protocol, for reference.

[GUIDELINES]
Procedures for evaluating and approval of research projects by the Research Ethics Committee (EACH/USP) and registration on the "Plataforma Brasil" of the Brazilian National Health Council, adopted in this protocol: http://www5.each.usp.br/projetos-cep/

[STEPS]
SECTION: Phase 1
1. Carry out a bibliographic and exploratory research on the topics:
Public Library: purpose, resources and services;
Information and Communication;
Informational and communication technologies adopted by public libraries;
Experiences in the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by public libraries in Brazil and other countries;
The bibliographic and exploratory research carried out in the following academic databases:
in the database specialized in librarianship available on the CAPES eResources Portal “Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text” (LISTA with FT) https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lih
in the Catalog of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) https://catalogodeteses.capes.gov.br/catalogo-teses/
in the international database of theses and dissertations Networked Digital Library of Thesis and Dissertations (NDLTD) http://search.ndltd.org/ and
in the Reference Database of Journal Articles in Information Science (BRAPCI), https://www.brapci.inf.br/ for review of brazilian research results literature.
SECTION: Phase 2
3. Compile the data collected through the questionnaire, presenting the data in analytical tables and also in graphs with a map of Brazil's macro-regions;
SECTION: Phase 1
2. Carry out descriptive research: apply a structured online questionnaire to quantify which ICTs Brazilian public libraries adopt (using the Google Forms). The invitation to participate  was sent via email to libraries registered with the National Public Library System (SNBP), published on the website http://snbp.cultura.gov.br/bibliotecaspublicas and which have a contact email provided on that website. The form asks respondents (library managers) to agree to a Free and Informed Consent Form (TCLE). See attached TCLE and Questionnaire.
Sample: select, from among the responses received, 5 (five) public libraries from each macro-region of Brazil (North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast and South), in descending order of number of inhabitants in the city (starting with the most populous cities), according to official statistics data from The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE): https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/sociais/populacao/9103-estimativas-de-populacao.html
The purpose of this criterion based on the number of inhabitants per city is to acquire answers from libraries that have a more comprehensive and significant representation in each macro-region.
Dimensions used to prepare the questions:
Work operations management
Information Resources
Information Services
Communication channels and acivities

SECTION: Phase 2
4. Connect the factors found and present the results of the research by crossing bibliographical research with data from Brazilian libraries obtained via questionnaire (sample), in order to enable a greater understanding of which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are adopted by public libraries to manage their operations and offer information and communication resources and services to their users;
SECTION: Phase 3
5. Discuss the results found. Prepare a discussion of the results in relation to the research objectives; discuss how the study contributes to the field; reflect on the limitations of the study; make recommendations for future research and close with a final summary.