At just 19 years old, she arrived at the José Martí Provincial Library. Books reignited her desire to better herself. She still can't believe that 42 years have passed. She is grateful for the opportunity given to her by Marta González Hidalgo, then director of the institution.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- “A friend told me there was a job opening here. As soon as I was accepted, I quickly enrolled in a technical course they were offering; that's how I became a technician. Years later, I earned my bachelor's degree. I like my job,” she confesses, and immediately mentions her support for the promotion of reading, the training of new generations, and her outreach to communities...
"I am grateful to all those who have contributed to my education, to those who helped me and taught me to love books even more. Going through the archives of serial publications, magazines, and newspapers has been one of my greatest rewards. I had a user who loved reading very much; he always came with specific requests, and that forced me to grow. I worked in the youth room, which I remember fondly because children leave a mark on your life. Then I moved on to document conservation and preservation, something I liked and still like," she says.
Along these lines, Yeida has also embraced research. "To provide better service, you have to know about various topics. I have done several research projects, but I have delved deeper into the conservation and preservation of documents, “she says. Her studies have been featured in regional, municipal, provincial, and national events.” I recently presented two papers, one on emergency prevention in the public library network and another on a project to create funds for the conservation of bibliographic heritage."
Yeida has also served for more than five years as president of the Cuban Association of Librarians (Ascubi in Spanish) in the province, which “is made up of public libraries and school libraries. Our role is to promote reading. We also do research and attend events.”
It is not surprising, then, that in her more than four decades of service, she has been awarded honors such as the Antonio Bachiller y Morales seal and the Raúl Gómez García medal. Today, she advises those interested in following in her footsteps: "Love books; when you touch them, smell them, and handle them, it's indescribable. Above all, read a lot, learn, stay informed... If a document arrives at the library, we must review it to know what you have and what you keep in your collection, so that when a user comes in, we can offer a better service.
“A librarian should not only be in a library or behind a desk; they must be comprehensively trained and take that knowledge to different spaces. In my neighborhood, for example, children and adults approach me to request information. And if you are a good librarian, you can provide that information both in the institution where you work and in the community. Simply put, be a knowledgeable person who can help shape new generations.”
