Transversal and interdisciplinary information practices in the school library: education, resources, and professionals

Abstract

This paper is aimed at presenting how transversal and interdisciplinary information practices occur in the school library, considering its information resources and professionals whose purposes are to generate meaningful learning for students. The methodology draws on exploratory and bibliographic approaches with qualitative design. According to the theoretical approach, we understand that information practices are developed for a wide variety of purposes and information will always be the central element in activities like these. In practical terms, library professionals and teachers of different school subjects can jointly structure complex activities to develop multiple skills in students from a transversal and interdisciplinary stance. Information practices can involve the following school subjects: i) Portuguese, History, and Geography; ii) Science and English; iii) Arts and Mathematics; iv) Library class and Educational technologies. However, professionals who develop information practices such as those presented in this research will have the freedom to establish the disciplinary interconnections, they deem most appropriate for their context. The research concludes that cross-curricular and interdisciplinary information practices can expand the learning potential of students at school as library professionals and teachers work collaboratively in the school library using all kinds of information resources contained therein.