To collect or not to collect-The Creations from the Carton

At the beginning of this year, as I began to re-read our library’s strategic plan, I noticed that one of the goals/vision’s was to help develop emerging areas of scholarship and the other goal was to tell our story to build community and cultivate relationships. In my meeting with several key faculty members in the department, we did discuss the similar objectives and thus began my quest for building a sustainable collection of books that were made from the cardboard. These books are also called, “Libros cartoneros.” This decision was informed by my discussions with Professor Francine Masiello. 

She encouraged to continue to build our collection of the cardboard books from all parts of Latin America and Caribbean. Thus began our journey. I am providing you below with some images of new purchases of Cuban books that belong to the same genre. I believe that always there are some small steps that might turn into something bigger and better. So below are some of our new books made up of Carton from Cuba. Please click on the image below to see other images.

  1. Pescador de Eneros
    Author: Reynaldo Montalvo; Elizabeth Valero
    Publisher: Matanzas Ediciones Vigía 2015
    OCLC Number: 931974545
    Description: 9 S Ill 17 cm
    Series Title: Colección Andante
    Responsibility: Rey Montalvo. [Diseño y dibujos: Elizabeth Valero Molina]
  2. La Habana, ciudad maravilla : poesía cubana de los siglos XVIII, XIX, y XXAuthor: Juan Nicolás Padrón Barquín; Alejandra Jeidys Ferrer Cairo; Alexis Tamayo Oset; Abel Tamayo Oset; Yanelys Encinosa Cabrera; All authors
    Publisher: La Habana, Cuba : Costanera Editorial, 2016.
    Series: Colección Veintiúnica.
    Subjects
    Havana (Cuba) — Poetry.
    Artists’ books — Specimens.
    Cuban poetry.
    OCLC Number: 973884252
    Notes: Poems.
    Limited edition of 21 numbered copies.
    Cover contains a painting of a silhouette of the watchtower from the Castillo de la Real Fuerza behind a brick wall. Corrugated cardboard covers covered in brown paper with spine of lighter brown waxed paper. Brick wall in cover representation painted and affixed over hand-painted silhouette and trees. Title in black lettering collaged on piece of corrugated cardboard and affixed to front cover. String descends from top of binding headband in interior of book to about 6 cm below bottom with small shell tied on through hole that has been drilled into it.
    RBC has copy 5/21.
    Description: 18 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
  3. Poesía erótica cubana
    Author: Juan Nicolás Padrón Barquín; Luisa Pérez de Zambrana; José Martí; Juana Borrero; Regino Eladio Boti y Barreiro; All authors
    Publisher: La Habana, Cuba : Costanera Editorial, 2016.
    Series: Colección Veintiúnica.
    Edition/Format: Print book : Poetry : Biography : SpanishView all editions and formats
    Subjects
    Erotic poetry, Cuban.
    Artists’ books — Specimens.
    OCLC Number: 972679814
    Notes: Limited edition of 21 numbered copies.
    Front has title collaged onto corrugated cardboard covers that have been cut around drawing of a figure to show corrugation beneath and painted in red. Maroon yarn is wrapped around figure’s neck and tied in a knot. String descends from bottom of binding headband in interior of book for about 6 cm with small shell tied on through hole that has been drilled into it.
  4. Libertad sin abolición : la dimensión política de los conflictos entre africanos y traficantes en los tribunales cubanos, La Habana 1795-1844 = Libertade sem aboliçăo : la dimensăo política dos conflitos entre africanos e traficantes de escravos nos tribunais cubanos, Havana, 1795-1844
    Author: Aisnara Perera Díaz; María de los Ángeles Meriño Fuentes; Iacy Maia Mata; Carlos Miguel Oliva; Johann E Trujillo; All authors
    Publisher: Matanzas, Cuba : Ediciones Vigía, 2016.
    Series: Colección Venablos.
    Edition/Format: Print book : Spanish
    Subjects
    Artists’ books — Cuba.
    Slavery — Cuba — History — 19th century.
    Slave trade — Cuba — History — 19th century.
    ISBN: 9789592402249 9592402248
    OCLC Number: 945560446
    Notes: One of a series of handmade books published by Ediciones Vigia under the auspices of the Cuban Ministry of Culture.
    Parallel text in Spanish and Portuguese.
    An artists’ book digitally printed on white and brown papers, with cut-out human figures adhered to front and back covers. Spine wrapped in burlap cloth.. Includes onlay of Ediciones Vigía lamp logo on back, with hand coloring.
    “Edición: Laura Ruiz, Dibujos: Carlos M. Oliva, Diseño: Johann E. Trujillo”–Colophon.
    One of a series of handmade books published by Ediciones Vigía.
    Limited edition of 200 copies.
    Description: 50 pages : illustrations (black and white), 28 cm.

 

Aisnara Perera Díaz can be heard in the following clip. Whose story has inspired the creation of the Libertad sin abolición : la dimensión política de los conflictos entre africanos y traficantes en los tribunales cubanos, La Habana 1795-1844 = Libertade sem aboliçăo : la dimensăo política dos conflitos entre africanos e traficantes de escravos nos tribunais cubanos, Havana, 1795-1844.