The history of public libraries in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote throughout the 20th century is characterized by demographic criteria, territorial inequalities, and structural challenges. According to data from the Canary Islands’ Department of Culture and Sports, the establishment of public libraries in the main municipalities generally followed the guideline of one library per 5,000 inhabitants[1]. However, this standard was not uniformly applied, resulting in significant disparities in access to public reading.
For instance, Puerto del Rosario, with nearly 15,000 inhabitants in 1986, had only two public libraries, when at least three would have been necessary according to the guideline. Similarly, Arrecife, with over 30,000 inhabitants, had just two public libraries, while the standard suggested six[1]. There were also cases where the placement of libraries seemed arbitrary: Antigua, with just over 2,000 inhabitants, had a public library, while Yaiza, with 1,994 inhabitants, had none[1].
The absence of a mobile library service (bibliobús) exacerbated the situation in small municipalities such as Betancuria, which were left completely unattended in terms of public reading[1]. This reality highlighted the need for a deeper analysis of social needs and planning adapted to the specificities of each municipality.
The library landscape was further affected by economic shortages, with library services being the first to suffer during times of crisis[1]. In this context, specialists emphasized the importance of conducting needs assessments, setting concrete goals, and evaluating service outcomes, rather than applying rigid criteria based solely on population or material resources[1].
The traditional view of the public library as a conservative and minority institution focused on cultural preservation was criticized, and a user-oriented model was proposed to guarantee reading access for the entire population[1]. The success of a library should be measured not only by the quality of its collections but also by indicators such as the number of members, loans, consultations, and unmet requests.
Professionalization of library staff was another challenge. In many cases, services were managed by provisional staff, teachers, or administrators without specific training, making it difficult to consolidate stable and high-quality library services[1].
Finally, there was a call to move beyond outdated models and work collaboratively, fostering professional associations and coordination among libraries on different islands to optimize resources and improve service to the community[1].