Spanish public libraries in the light of European recovery funds and the National plan for digital competences

Abstract

The strategies and possibilities for Spanish public libraries to proactively participate in the National plan for digital competences, approved by the Government of Spain in January 2021 are described and analyzed. The Plan is connected with the agenda España Digital 2025, as well as with the Recovery, transformation and resilience plan "España Puede". This document, approved at the end of 2020 by the Government of Spain, defines the axes in which the European funds approved through the Next Generation EU Program should be used in response to the serious health, economic and social crisis caused by Covid-19, and represents an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our society and make the digitization of Spain possible. In this context, an opportunity is identified for libraries to be perceived as a powerful and essential partner for the achievement of the different goals that are proposed, among which we can find basic digital literacy. For all those reasons, it is essential to have the encouragement and support of professional organizations, and that the library systems and their management and coordination bodies of the different public administrations concerned get involved and lead projects in order not to miss this opportunity of posing large-scale challenges.