REFLECTIONS ON INFORMATION MEDIATION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF USERS

Abstract

University libraries currently living with several generations of users, with very different characteristics, since they were born at different times, enjoyed their childhood and adolescence in different stages of technological advancement that specially marked the twentieth century. The objectives are to identify the main characteristics of these five generations of users who currently live together in university libraries: Traditional or Veterans (born until 1945), Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1969), Generation X (born between 1970-1980), Generation Y (born between 1981-1990) and Generation Z (born after 1991) and to raise possibilities for customization of the mediation of information for each of these generations. The methodology was based on exploratory research, it was searched in major bibliographic databases’ area on the characterization of these generations of users and the mediation process the information in university libraries. It concludes that the librarian should reflect, select and implement the actions of mediation that are more viable in your library’ reality, considering the specific characteristics of each of these generations.