The Municipal Library of Santa Brígida not only lends books but also listens to its readers. Through the desiderata service, users can propose titles they would like to find on the shelves, making their interests a key criterion for expanding and renewing the bibliographic collection.
This service, though little known, is a fundamental tool for library staff, as it allows them to understand firsthand what the reading community is looking for. In Santa Brígida, this participation directly translates into annual acquisitions, which exceed a thousand new items, in addition to updating existing collections.
Funding for this process comes from two public sources: an contribution of €6,428 from the Government of Canarias, within the framework of the Canarias Reading Plan 2023-2030, and a subsidy of €14,000 from the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, intended for the acquisition of bibliographic and documentary funds for municipal libraries.
Reading clubs, for both adults and children/youth, also play an active role in selecting new acquisitions, extending readers' relationship with books beyond borrowing.
“"A library is not a closed collection of books, but a living collection that grows with those who use it. In Santa Brígida, we want our readers to also have a voice and be able to contribute to deciding which stories they want to find on their shelves."
The Councillor for Culture, Avelina Fernández Manrique de Lara, emphasizes that the Municipal Library's catalog is not based solely on bibliographic selection criteria or editorial offerings, but also incorporates the proposals and needs of its reading community.
The Library of Santa Brígida promotes collaboration with other libraries through the exchange and loan of funds. The desiderata service is free, and proposals can be sent to biblioteca@santabrigida.es for evaluation and incorporation into the bibliographic collection.
