Conhece-te a ti mesmo: a percepção dos egressos sobre a imagem de um curso de graduação em Biblioteconomia

Abstract

This study is dedicated to elucidate the social representations consequential to the Library and Information Science graduation course promoted by the Federal University of Minas Gerais, a public institution of higher education, from the point of view of its alumni. This academic work consists in two different stages, which are articulated under the theoretical background of the Social Representations; and a literature review, from the perspective of the tradition of studies regarding the education for librarians and the profession itself. Firstly, it was identified the reputation of the above-mentioned course, based on its attributes, and it was verified the fulfillment of the alumni considering the same attributes. As a result of the first stage, it was presented graphically the configuration of this reputation and, from that point, some relevant questions were raised about the representations of the alumni about the course. The Method of Image Configuration was chosen, due to its credibility in the Business Administration area. This method is used to collect data through interviews and questionnaires. There were identified 49 reputation attributes for the Library and Information Science graduation course, categorized as rational, affective, visionary, emotional and symbolic. The Central Image of the course was mainly composed by rational elements with a positive character. However, in other parts of the image there were negative elements that, in many aspects, reinforce the representations and stereotypes found in literature, such as unfamiliarity and depreciation of the profession. The second stage consisted in questioning the reputation identified in the first stage of the study with the alumni’s opinions about the course while they were still studying and their professional journey after completing the course. In this part, it was also important to analyze the interviews and questionnaires from the previews stage. It was possible to notice some common issues that pervades the area, for instance the difficulties of the professional to keep track of the technologic innovations; low self-esteem of alumni who realize that society and the job market do not appreciate and recognize the profession; and future business trends that have not been implemented yet, since the conventional market (college and school libraries) is still the main form of employment in the field. Considering what was observed in this study, it is expected that the data can contribute to the higher education management, aiming to improve the course’s curriculum with the purpose of opening the conversation between the professional and academic fields.