National Libraries and mobile applications: analysis of online services available in Android applications

The aim of the study was to analyze the online services available in Android applications from the National Libraries (NL) of the ICT Development Index (IDI), which have Spanish, English or Portuguese as their official languages, resulting in a total of 83 countries. Initially, were searched the countries that had the languages defined in the study among their official languages. Later, the Libraries of this countries were searched on the Google Play platform for surveying existing applications. The result of the sample for analysis: 8 countries and 11 applications. We analyzed the main characteristics present in the use of the applications and the services offered in them. Given the results obtained, it is possible to affirm that the NL analyzed have focused on the provision of information dissemination services and material availability, especially the dissemination of general information on Libraries and the supply of eBooks. Among the conclusions, a low adaptation of NL to mobile technologies was identified. The focus is still on services performed on site, such as legal deposit and preservation of the works of his country. This contrary one of the challenges of the information society: the democratization of information access.