Sexual Diversity in the curricula of Library Science Programs

An Analysis in the North and Northeast Regions

Abstract

Discussions about sexual diversity and its impacts in different spheres have been emerging topics in Library Science, with a view to social justice involving issues of gender and sexuality. Considering this, this research aims to identify and analyze the presence, approaches, and/or content related to sexual diversity in the curricula of Library Science courses in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. This work is justified from a social perspective as it addresses issues related to sexual diversity, which are essential for librarians in their treatment of users and in raising awareness of their role as opinion makers. To operationalize the research, the Higher Education Regulation System (e-MEC) was used to select Library Science courses, followed by a documentary study involving the curricula of the courses offered, whether mandatory or elective. Based on the exploration of the material, the documents were read to guide the descriptive and qualitative analysis. The results showed that there is still little representation in the subjects located, despite the Northeast region standing out in terms of supply. It was concluded that courses relating to sexual and gender diversity are still scarce in the programs analyzed, drawing attention to the need to develop strategies aimed not only at integrating these topics into the training of professionals in the field, but also at strengthening ties with society, given that these issues encompass aspects of identity, culture, politics, and society.