A TOTAL of 59 volumes of books, magazines and newspapers – 40 in Spanish language, 6 in English and 13 in Chinese – were donated to Shanghai Library by the visiting Consul General of the Republic of Cuba in Shanghai Mr. Ariel Lorenzo Rodríguez on March 1st.

The new Cuban Consul General, who is just on his ninth month after taking the office, has engaged himself from the very beginning in facilitating the exchange in a variety of areas between Cuba and China, in particular the cultural sector. It is with his assistance that the Shanghai Library has recently managed to renew the cooperative relationship with the National Library of Cuba, the ‘Biblioteca Nacional José Martí’ in Havana, a ‘Window of Shanghai’ participating library since 2004.

The three-person visiting group, including Mr. Rodríguez, his wife and a consulate staff, were welcomed by Dr. WU Jianzhong, who accepted the donation on behalf of the Shanghai Library as the Director General.

In their talks the two also discussed the potentials of strengthening the cultural relations between China and Cuba via libraries and books, by means for instance of organising cultural exhibitions and poetry recitations.

The donated books, giving a glimpse on Cuba, its history, culture, people and society, and some of which are in precious editions, will be on display for a certain while at the Friendship Library at the fourth floor after being processed. Then they will go into the circulation to offer people of interest across the city with loan readings. To acknowledge the donation a special mark will be made when the collections are catalogued by Shanghai Library.