MEC Books: Digital Library Records 122,000 Loans in One Week

The Ministry of Education (MEC) launched ME C Books a week ago, an initiative designed to broaden public access to literary works in digital format. In its first week, the digital library has reached 291,600 users nationwide, with over 122,000 active loan transactions. The application offers nearly 8,000 national and international books available for free rental. The most read book since its release has been The Head of the Saint by Brazilian journalist and author Socorro Acioli, a work developed in a workshop with 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Acioli’s book tells the story of a young man who discovers he can hear women’s prayers to Saint Anthony. Rounding out the top five most read works are Without Farewells and The Vegetarian, both by Han Kang, White Nights by Fiodor Dostoievski, and Crime and Punishment, also by Dostoievski. São Paulo leads among the states with the most active readers and the highest number of books read, totaling 10,045 and 5,366, respectively, followed by: Minas Gerais (4,518 readers and 2,382 books) Rio de Janeiro (4,485 readers and 2,434 books) Ceará (3,259 readers and 1,887 books) Bahia (3,171 readers and 1,783 books)

To access the books, users can visit the MEC Livros website or app and log in with their gov.br account. The platform displays available books on the first page, organized by categories such as “In Vogue,” “Bestsellers,” and “Brazilian Classic Authors.” By clicking on a book’s cover, users can select the “More Information” button to read a summary. After clicking this button, a new page opens with “Borrow and Read” option, allowing immediate access to the book. The current model requires users to return books at the end of a 14-day period, although they can renew the loan for the same duration. MEC is implementing improvements to allow returns at any time and to expand this function, increasing user autonomy in managing loans. MEC created the MEC Livros platform to democratize access to reading, offer books that contribute to student learning, disseminate literary heritage, encourage reading habits, modernize education, and promote the integration of new technologies. To expand its collection, MEC has partnered with the National Library Foundation and is in discussions with institutions like the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), Edições Câmara, Instituto Mojo, and Companhia Editora de Pernambuco (CEPE).

Enhancing User Autonomy through Diverse Reading Platform and Accessibility Features

The app’s design emphasizes literary, cultural, and linguistic diversity and includes user-focused tools such as integration with Gov.br, reading personalization, and automated notifications. The platform also prioritizes accessibility, offering font and contrast adjustments, support for people with dyslexia, and compatibility with screen readers. [Link: https:www.gov.brsecomptbracompanheasecomnoticias202604meclivrosprogramatem122milemprestimosemumasemana] Enap provides a course offering a certificate for becoming a reading mediator, and there is also a free online course available for mediator certification. MEC offers a course on library school management, while the National Library of Brasilia has free English courses. Courses from Conecta Professores can be followed through Google News and WhatsApp.

In Case You Missed It

In the spirit of democratizing education, we’re thrilled to point you towards a recent post by Bruno Pferd. In his piece titled “MEC Makes Free Digital Library of Nearby 8,000 National and Foreign Literary Works Available”, published on April 9th, Bruno explores an innovative initiative by the Brazilian government that provides unprecedented access to reading materials through MEC Books. This fantastic app offers nearly 8,000 national and international literary works, including classics by renowned authors like Clarice Lispector and Gabriel García Márquez, all free of charge. Dive into this comprehensive digital library by checking out Bruno’s post here MEC Makes Free Digital Library of Nearby 8,000 National and Foreign Literary Works Available.