Carlos J. Finlay

Carlos Juan Finlay was born in the city of Puerto Principe (now Camaguey), in the Island of Cuba, on the 3rd of December, 1833. His father was Edward, a Scotch physician, and his mother, Isabel de Barres a native of France.While he was still in his infancy the family moved to Havana where the boy grew to his eleventh year, residing at times in the Capital, and at times in Guanimar.We can well imagine that the life of young Finlay in the open awakened his love for the study of Nature.

In 1844 Carlos was sent to France and studied in a school at the Havre until 1846 when he had to return to Cuba on account of an attack of cholera.

He returned to Europe in 1848 to complete his education in France, but the revolutionary movements of that year obliged him to remain for a short time in London, and during one year in a school at Mentz on the Rhine. He entered college at last in Rouen where he continued his studies until 1851 when he returned to Cuba to convalesce from an attack of typhoid fever.
The
Spanish law at the time would not validate for the degree of Bachelor in Arts, the college courses followed in France, and he came to Philadelphia where the said degree was not necessary for the study of Medicine. He graduated in Medicine on the 10th of March 1855 from the Jefferson Medical College,Dr. Finlay incorporated his diploma in the University of Havana in 1857, and began the practice of his profession. On the 16th of October 1865, he married, in the city of Havana, Miss Adela Shine, a native of the Island of Trinidad. In 1881 he went to Washington representing the colonial Government of Cuba at the International Sanitary Conference.

in 1898 He wrote at the time a complete plan of campaign against the yellow fever on the same lines, which were subsequently followed with the brilliant results now familiar to all of us.The great work of Finlay may be expressed in very few words: He discovered the fact that yellow fever is transmitted by the bite of one species of mosquito, and he invented a sure method for the extinction of the disease.

Great as our satisfaction must be, how much greater must be that of the man, illustrious as he is modest, who has made all this possible through a mental effort equaled by very few in the history of the human mind".

PUBLIC LIBRARY JULIO ANTONIO MELLA

The Provincial Library Julio Antonio Mella is located in historical downtown, Camaguey city, across from beautiful Ignacio Agramonte Park . It was founded on June 1, 1963 and it is attended by a technically trained library staff who offers dynamic and efficient services. The Library has more 230000 volumes in stock, 86000 library users per year, and provides 146000 loans and other services –as a result of its wide and systematic activities of extension work and reading promotion, not only in the library itself, but also in the community. Nowadays, it is compiling local bibliographies and developing bibliotecological researches. It functions as both the Provincial Library and as the head of the provincial public libraries system, which comprises 30 libraries located in twelve municipalities and rural areas.

MISSION

Library's mission is directed towards the conservation, protection and dissemination of book collection and the promotion of reading, too by means of different actions and activities.

LENDINDG DEPARTMENT

It is composed of the Registration Department and the rooms dealing with general information, rare books, general literature, literature for children, literature for the young, visuals arts, music, and extension work. Each room keep very valuables collections according to its thematic outline and readers' interest.

PRINCIPAL SERVICES

Book lending, local lending of serials and audiovisuals materials, reference works (by phone and mail); services of bibliographical search, vertical file, cassette recording, musical auditions, concerts, library exhibitions, and other interesting activities.

SELECTION, ACQUISITION AND TECHNICAL PROCESSING DEPARTMENT

It has the responsibility of selecting, acquiring and processing library materials which the Institution obtains through different means. Besides, there are others important areas: Conservation and Computers. The WEB page is update. It is working on the Iberoamerican Digital Library Project.

SPECIAL AREAS

Minerva Book Club. The Public Library founded it five years ago to provide more books to readers. This collection comprises by new books from Cuban and foreign writers, or recently acquired by the National or provincial Libraries.

BLINDS AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE DEPARTMENT

It has a collection of books and magazines in Braille and offers “talking book”, rehabilitation, and teaching services for blinds and visually impaired; as well as home reading and extension work. This Area was founded in 1983.

OUR ACTIVITIES

Our cultural and reading promotion activities have gained real reputation due to the librarians' commitment and dedication. These activities are supported by a close link between the Public Library and different cultural institution.

• Wednesday's Concert. Second Wednesday at 3:00 pm.

• Young Performers. Third Wednesday at 4:00 pm.

- Camagueyana Conversation Last Monday at 5:00 pm.

• Movie Club Glauber Rocha. Third Thursday at 8:00 pm.

• Literature and much more… Last Friday at 10:00 am.

• Literary Saturday for children. Second Saturday at 10:00 am.

FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG

The Children's and Young's Rooms have lovely developed several activities for reading promotion such as reading teams and workshop concerning Braille system, theater, painting, readers, story telling, literature, contest and games. Besides, these rooms have been awarded the International Prize Chamán and the National Prize Cuentería for yours systematic work in story telling for children.

LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY

It is a long-range project which serves people's needs in Camaguey city and its sorroundings, but it specially involves the assistance to disadvantaged persons. The Library offers services to people in health institutions, prisons, and also to the handicapped. Children Room carries out a weekly biblioterapy program , and other activities which require our spiritual and human support.

ANNUAL EVENTS

• Camagueyanos Writers Meeting, February

• Braille Workshop Reading , April.

• Scientific Workshop Bibliotecological, June.

• Special Areas Meeting, June.

• Children's Workshop National Story Telling, November.

DESK SCHEDULE

Monday to Friday: 8:00am.- 9:00 pm.

Saturday: 8:00am.-4:00 pm.

Sunday: 9:00am.- 1:00pm.

Dramatic group “Nino Moncada”: quality and sense of belonging

Dramatic Group "Nino Moncada"It is impossible to speak of successes, professionalism and dedication to the radio, without referring to the Dramatic Group “Nino Moncada “, a troupe of actors, directors, playwrights, music consultants, special effects specialists and advisors who convey the audience a rich programming. This programming includes Cuban romances, detective serial Operative Guard, children intended program Pioneers’ World, stories, dramas and many other shows that as Radio Cadena Agramonte’s slogan reads “are in the people’s heart.”

The group was founded on January, 1969 and the first feature programs it produced were the Cuban romance “A New Dawn” and a 12-chapter serial dedicated to Jose Martí’s life. Those actors and actresses who founded it were Deogracia “Nino” Moncada Fontes, Manuel Rodríguez Cruz, José Martínez Estévez, José Luis Cadenas, José “Pepín" Bueno Díaz de Arce, Benito Gil Lacal and Homero de Dios.

The most outstanding of them were Nora Thomas, Mario Crespo, Consuelo Cruz, José Martínez, Martha Queipo, Héctor Vilató, Ángel Olivera, Orosmán Bueno, María Elena Fernández, Yolanda Fonseca, Jorge. A. Morán, Homero de Dios, and others; while the pioneers in narration ere Francisco Rivero and Rafael López Álvarez. quality and sense of belonging.

Nicohlas Guillen

Nicohlas Guillen was born in 1902. He was an Afro-Cuban poet, writer, journalist, and social activist.

Guillen’s father introduced him to Afro-Cuban music when he was very young. His father was a journalist.Guillen began writing about the social problems faced by blacks in the 1920, his first poems appeared in Camaguey Grafico in 1922.

In 1930, he created an international stir with the publication of Motivos de son, eight short poems inspired by the Son, a popular Afro-Cuban musical form, and the daily living conditions of Cuban blacks. Composed in Afro-Cuban vernacular, the collection separated itself from with Spanish literary cannon and established black culture as a legitimate focus of Cuban literature. It was as if Guillen had touched on something that the people of Cuba could recognize as having been on the tips of their tongues waiting for Guillen to articulate it.

In 1940, he ran for mayor of Camaguey and in 1948, Guillen was a senatorial candidate for the Cuban Communist Party; both campaigns were unsuccessful. He truly identified with the plight of blacks beyond his native Cuba, this is reflected in his Elegias (1958). Upon his return to Cuba in 1959, Fidel Castro awarded him the task of designing a new cultural policy and setting up the Union of Writers and Artist of Cuba, of which Guillen became president in 1961. During the next two decades, he wrote and published a number of collections of poetry including Tengo (1964), El gran Zoo (1967), La rueda dentada, and El diario que a diario (1972), and Sol de Domingo (1982). Guillen died in Havana in 1987.