Sponsoring an Independent Cuban Library
(for public
distribution, copy as needed)
I
was asked to lay out the steps a library board might follow in order to sponsor
an independent Cuban library, as the Vermillion, South Dakota, Public Library
Board of Trustees did in November, 2004.
The following suggestions may help.
1. As
a board, trustees
should educate themselves on the issues involved.
This
involves first the history and current situation of the independent libraries
in
Unanimity
isn’t necessary at the beginning of the discussion, only a willingness to
consider sponsorship and what it stands for.
At least one person needs to take the initiative to bring information to
the board and keep the discussion alive to the point of a definitive
decision. Preferably this person would
be one of the trustees, but it could also be another individual willing to
promote the idea with the board.
Web sources include www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org and www.bibliocuba.org.
and the
Vermillion did this over a period of several
monthly board meetings, both in board discussions and by individually studying
internet sources between board meetings.
2. Trustees
should establish
what the goals of the sponsorship are.
The Cuban independent libraries exist in a narrow,
fluctuating space between government repression and toleration for the sake of
international public relations. The
Cuban government does seem to care what the world thinks and is to some extent
susceptible to world opinion.
Primary
goals can be first, to provide one-on-one, personal moral support and
solidarity to the brave people running an independent Cuban library; and
second, to add to the movement in this country to follow many European cities
and library organizations in demanding freedom for jailed Cuban librarians and
freedom for all intellectual pursuits in Cuba.
The
expense and difficulty of getting library material from the
3. The
first two web sites mentioned above can be used to help identify a specific Cuban
library to sponsor, along with the name of the library director and the
library’s shipping address.
4. Objections need to be anticipated before hand, especially in
the local community.
Vermillion was the first
It’s still not completely clear why there hasn’t
been more support from individual libraries such as ours, but some of the
reasons must include the ALA’s tepid stance; a concern that it is a very
far-flung, and thus inappropriate, issue for a local board to deal with; and
also that such an action dilutes the local board’s efforts on behalf of its own
library. Also, until recently there
hasn’t really been much effort to promote sponsorship by libraries in the
In fact there have been no negative implications
for us. None. All of the press coverage and local feedback
has been positive. Our board president,
Jon Flanagin, recently observed that the favorable publicity has enhanced local
awareness and appreciation of VPL and has actually strengthened us as an
institution in the community.
We may put
together a lobby display about our sister library in
If there is someone in the local
political or library community that might be opposed, visiting with them before
the board acts would be appropriate. The
call would be a courtesy and an opportunity to talk to the individual about the
issue. (But, the whole point of the
exercise is to celebrate independent library boards, so no
external entity should need to be given veto power either.)
In Vermillion one of the trustees is also a member
of the city council and served as a liaison to that group. Also, one courtesy call was made to a local
professional librarian known to think that libraries should attend to problems
closer to home and it turned out that he wasn’t as opposed as had been
reported.
5. A funding source
should be identified that is completely separate from funds otherwise available
to the library for local services; this stipulation should be made clear in the
sponsoring resolution.
In Vermillion’s case individual trustees guaranteed any cost
above specific contributions received for the purpose. We
have made no effort to solicit financial help, but nonetheless have received
several contributions from out of state.
While material support is part of
sponsorship, the gesture of solidarity and moral support is the most important
part of sponsorship. Those goals can be
pursued without major expense.
6. A press release
should be prepared, along with the sponsoring resolution, and both shared with
the local governing body before release to the press.
There is a ‘reverse pyramid’ theory
that recommends putting the most important information in a press release
first, due to the likelihood that they may be shortened or truncated in the
editing/printing process. It may not
produce the most elegant prose, but may insure that the most important parts of
your story are told.
Regarding the distribution list for
a press release, some libraries may have the Gale Directory of Publishing and Broadcasting which would help
with addresses.
In Vermillion’s case it took almost two
weeks to carefully craft a press release and have it included as a
non-discussion item in the city council meeting information packet. One newspaper pointed out that when they got
the release it was old news. In
retrospect the release should have been prepared along with the resolution.
7. Books can be shipped to Cuba via DHL
Express. Label the package contents
‘documents’ to increase the likelihood of delivery. Spanish language books can be purchased from
Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Baker & Taylor.
No shipment method to Cuba is a sure thing. Periodic small mailings of books and
materials are more prudent than sending a larger amount of material at one
time.
Individual members of groups traveling to Cuba may be
able to deliver books to specific libraries.
Our small shipments of books have each taken five or six days to successfully reach
Havana from South Dakota. Two or three
books cost between $40 and $50 to send, depending on weight. We included copies of our resolution and
press release in the first shipment and copies of press clippings in later
ones. The Cuban library director’s
response came to us through the help of the first two web sites mentioned
above. To date we haven’t had any experience with travelers carrying books for
us; those two web sites would also be able to provide more information about
this method of transport.
Vermillion’s
sponsoring resolution and the accompanying press release are attached.
I would be happy to correspond or
visit with anyone about Vermillion’s experience sponsoring an independent Cuban
library.
Mark Wetmore
605-624-3748
3-2-05
A Resolution
Whereas: The Vermillion, South Dakota, USA, Public Library Board of Trustees supports the intertwined principles of intellectual freedom and human rights; and
Whereas: Free access to information is a basic human right; and
Whereas: Free access to information is the overarching reason libraries exist; and
Whereas: Free access to uncensored information is the underlying principle that our love of libraries rests upon; and
Whereas: The Dulce Maria Loynaz
Library is a small and poorly-funded library in
Whereas: The Dulce Maria Loynaz
Library receives no financial or other support from the Cuban government or the
City of
Therefore be it resolved:
That the
Vermillion, South Dakota, USA, Public Library Board of Trustees hereby sponsors
the Dulce Maria Loynaz Library in Havana, Cuba,
and that
this sponsorship will consist of material and moral support for the Dulce Maria
Loynaz Library as practicable from Vermillion, such support to be funded solely
by private donations for this specific purpose and at no cost to the Vermillion
Public Library or the City of Vermillion.
Press Release
Vermillion,
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Wetmore
605-624-3748; mw@iw.net
The Vermillion,
In March, 2003, many of
the independent libraries in
The Dulce Maria Loynaz
Library was one of the institutions singled out during the 2003 crackdown. The
director, Gisela Delgado, was not detained during the raid on her library, but
her husband, Hector Palacios, was arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
During the raid, most of the Loynaz Library's books were confiscated by the
police. The Cuban courts have ordered
the burning of many of the books seized from the independent librarians.
"
“A hundred years ago the Vermillion
library started out with 300 volumes, about the same number of books as the
Dulce Maria Loynaz library had before it was raided,” Mark Wetmore, vice
president of the trustees, stated. “But
Vermillion’s library grew rapidly from that beginning, in a society that
nurtured free access to all types of information. We hope that our sponsorship of an
independent Cuban library will, in some small way, help that process there, as
well as encourage other American libraries to offer similar support.”
With this action, Vermillion joins the French cities of
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