Azorean Government Donates Books, CDs, DVDs
The Bermuda National Library this week received a donation of Portuguese language books, CD’s and DVD’s with Azorean music from the Government of the Azores presented by Mr. Eddy De Mello to the Minister of Public Information Services Neletha Butterfield at a ceremony held at the Adult Library on Queen Street in Hamilton.
Pictured below from left to right: Head Librarian Ms. Joanne Brangman, Mr. Eddy De Mello and Minister Neletha Butterfield.
Once the materials are prepared for public use they will be placed in the Library collection, some will be placed in the new Cultural Studies collection and will be for Reference Use only and others will be placed in the Foreign Language collection and will be available for loan to Library members.
The Regional Director for the Communities, Maria Da Graca Borges Castanho, said in a letter to the Bermuda National Library: “It is always with great pleasure that the Regional Department contributes to the preservation of the Portuguese identity outside Portuguese borders. We hope the package (the books and other materials) sent to Mr. De Mello will please Portuguese speakers in Bermuda.”
Minister Butterfield said: “It is a pleasure to receive these Portuguese materials from the Government of the Azores. Our countries have been connected since the first Azorean immigrants sailed to our shores in the mid-nineteenth century. Our history and culture has been influenced by our Portuguese community since that time. These books, DVD’s and CDs will be a welcome addition to the Adult Services Foreign Language Collection and the Reference Collection of the Cultural Studies Section.”
The Bermuda National Library said they look forward to sharing these books, DVD’s and CD’s with not just the Portuguese community but all of our schools and local residents.
The Bermuda National Library is a Government service, any resident may become a member. All that is required is a current photo identification and a recent piece of mail confirming the applicants mailing address.
Now all we need is a direct flight a few times a year between Bermuda and the Azores…
@ Gee…I agree with you 100%…they need to get SATA flying over here instead of Boston, saves us $ on tickets and fuel for them…
When I flew there recently, I had to fly a couple of hours to Boston and wait for 8-10 hours before boarding the flight to the Azores. The return flight is worse because you have to stay overnight in Boston before returning to Bermuda. A direct flight would only take approx. 4 hours each way however it would be difficult to secure at least a 75% plane capacity on a Boeing 737/747.
Apparently they used to have a direct flight a couple of decades ago. It would be a great gesture to look into the possibility of having a few each year to expose both Bermudians and Azoreans to each others country in order to strengthen the 150+ year relationship.
Personally I would like more Bermudians to visit the Azores and it would be great if they could travel there as fast as they can currently visit Las Vegas or Halifax, for example.
Eddy Demello?? its very sad that a person that has done nothing for the Portuguese community in Bermuda, but to look after his own interest!!! There is a Portuguese club in Bermuda that runs the Portuguese school with a very hard budget and it works hard to keep it open thru all these years!!! With no help from him, but he gets all the credit!!
Maybe I should ask Eddy Demello to run it or donate SOME OF HIS FORTUNE TO THE PORTUGUESE SCHOOL TO CONTINUE TO BE OPEN FOR THE NEXT 50 TO 100 YEARS!!!
@Miguel Pereira
That is neither accurate or nice. Mr. De Mello has for many years done much for the Portuguese community. What have you done for them?
Please site what he has done?
Please tell me what he, Mr. DeMello, has done for the Portuguese community without benefitiing from it!!!
Nothing!!!