Science Communication in Brazil: the Place and Role of Libraries

The development of modern society directly depends on effective science communication, which affects all social institutions, cultural practices and economic processes. Its important function is to provide society with reliable scientific knowledge, which contributes to improving the level of education, the formation of a scientific worldview and an adequate assessment of the achievements of science and technology. On the other hand, the processes taking place in society – in the political, socio-e conomic, and technological spheres – determine the conditions for the development of science communication and the dissemination of scientific knowledge among the general population. The unique challenges typical of any state determine the level of development of science communication. For example, in Brazil, in conditions of social inequality and geographical extent that limit access to scientific infrastructure for different segments of the population, science communication has its own specifics, for example: high-quality scientific education and the latest research are available to privileged strata. Brazil’s vast territory and uneven distribution of scientific centers create natural barriers to information exchange, etc. In light of these problems, public libraries can serve as a bridge between the science community and the public, traditionally acting as intermediaries between recorded knowledge and society.

The article is a review, which describes the development of science communication in Brazil, as well as ways to spread scientific knowledge in the country. Special attention is paid to the participation of libraries in science communication. The review is based on publications selected in the scientific information social network ResearchGate and the database Lens.org, and the study of the websites of public libraries in Brazil. An analysis of publications and websites has shown that today the experience of Brazilian libraries participating in science communication activities is not great, and the their main goal in popularizing scientific knowledge is to overcome information inequality and create inclusive access to scientific knowledge for all groups of the population. The library serves as an intermediary, an auxiliary tool, a place and a platform for implementing communication practices.

1. Alves APM, Casarin HCS and Fernandéz-Molina J (2016) Uso ético da informação e combate ao plágio: olhares para as bibliotecas universitárias brasileiras. Ciência da Informação e Biblioteconomia: Estudos, João Pessoa 26 (1): 115–130, abr. 2016.

2. Barba Ma DE LP, González Del Castillo JP and Massarani L. (2019) Public engagement in science: Mapping out and understanding the practice of science communication in Latin America. An Acad Bras Cienc 91: e20171000. DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201920171000.

3. Caribé R de C do V (2013) O papel da biblioteca como espaço de divulgação científica. Congresso Brasileiro de Biblioteconomia e Documentação 25, Florianópolis. Anais... Florianópolis, FEBAB. URL: http://portal.febab.org.br/anais/article/view/1545/1546 (accessed 19.05.2025).

4. Caribé R de C do V (2021) A biblioteca especializada e o seu papel na comunicação científica para o público leigo. Revista Ibero-Americana De Ciência Da Informação 10 (1): 185–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26512/rici.v10.n1.2017.2511

5. Castelfranchi Y (2004) Science and communication in Brazil: evolution, globalization, and contingencies. JCOM-Journal of Science Communication 3. DOI: 10.22323/2.03040901.

6. Dantas-Queiroz MV, Wentzel L and Queiroz L (2018) Science communication podcasting in Brazil: The potential and challenges depicted by two podcasts. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 90: 1891–1901. DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201820170431.

7. Fabrício TM, Pezzo MR, de Oliveira AJA (2021) Understanding Brazilian Scientists' motivation towards Public Communication of Science. 16th International Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference (PCST 2020+1), virtual global conference, 26–28 May 2021. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36211.66083

8. Forti LR and Szabo JK (2024) Public collaboration to improve the future for science in Brazil. Environmental Science & Policy 162: 103921. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103921

9. Gomes LR and Finardi K (2019) The Role of Internet/YouTube in the Socialization/Popularization of Science in Brazil. Education and Linguistics Research 5 (2): 159–174. DOI: 10.5296/elr.v5i2.15935.

10. Hungaro A and Pugliese A (2024) Perspectives and approaches of articles on science communication published in Brazilian journals. Educação e Pesquisa 50. DOI: 10.1590/s1678-4634202450275685en.

11. Massarani L and Moreira I de C (2020) Brazil: History, significant breakthroughs and present challenges in science communication. Communicating Science: A Global Perspective, pp. 155–174. DOI: 10.22459/CS.2020.07.

12. Massarani L and Rocha JN (2021) Science museums: The Brazilian case. In: Schiele B, Liu X and Bauer MW (eds) Science Cultures in a Diverse World: Knowing, Sharing, Caring. Springer, Singapore, pp. 311–324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5379-7_17

13. Massarani L, Silva CM DA, Amorim L, Dirlene MMS (2022) Science communication activities at research institutes in Brazil: Recent expansion on the way to professionalization. An Acad Bras Cienc 94: e20201936. DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220201936.

14. Nascente L da S (2013) Vulgarização do conhecimento científico: a relação entre o publico infantojuvenil e a Biblioteca do Instituto Vital Brazil, Repositório – FEBAB. URL: http://repositorio.febab.libertar.org/items/show/2485 (accessed 23.05.2025).

15. Oliveira LMA, Bonatelli ML and Pinto TCA (2019) DivulgaMicro: A Brazilian Initiative To Empower Early-Career Scientists with Science Communication Skills. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education 20 (1): 20.1.7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v20i1.1616

16. Paula RS de L, da Silva E and Woida LM (2023) Innovation in university libraries in a period of pandemic in the Northern region of Brazil. RDBCI Revista Digital de Biblioteconomia e Ciência da Informação 18. DOI: 10.20396/rdbci.v18i0.8661184/25585.

17. Rocha JN and Marandino M (2017). Mobile science museums and centres and their history in the public communication of science. JCOM 16 (03), A04. 1–24.