Dominican Library

Nuestra biblioteca recibió recientemente la visita del periodista y escritor dominicano Oscar López Reyes, quien nos entregó varias de sus publicaciones. La donación amplía nuestras colecciones y ofrece más recursos para quienes investigan la cultura e historia dominicana.

Durante su visita, el Sr. López Reyes también aprovechó para revisar nuestras colecciones mientras avanzaba en la investigación de su próximo libro. Sus obras, que incluyen temas sobre periodismo, comunicación y la historia de la prensa en la República Dominicana, estarán disponibles para estudiantes, académicos e interesados en estos temas.

Agradecemos al Sr. López Reyes por compartir sus materiales con nuestra biblioteca y contribuir al acceso a recursos sobre la cultura dominicana.

We are excited to share a special moment for our library: a recent visit from Dr. Tatyana Kleyn, Professor of Bilingual Education and TESOL at The City College of New York, who generously donated a copy of the book Lessons from a Dual Language Bilingual School.

Dr. Kleyn, who co-edited the book alongside fellow educators and co-founders of Dos Puentes Elementary School, brings a powerful and authentic voice to the field of bilingual education. The book captures the lived experiences, reflections, and practices of teachers and leaders deeply embedded in the work of dual language education. With a foreword by renowned scholar Dr. Ofelia García, Lessons from a Dual Language Bilingual School is both a celebration of language justice and a guide for creating inclusive, multilingual classrooms.

It was a true pleasure meeting Dr. Kleyn during her visit, and we were inspired by her passion for supporting bilingual learners and educators. Her donation enhances our library's collection in meaningful ways—offering students, faculty, and researchers access to rich, practice-based knowledge from the heart of a dual language program.

We’re grateful to Dr. Kleyn for sharing this important work with us, and for her ongoing contributions to the field of bilingual education.

We were especially moved by Dr. Kleyn’s personalized dedication inside the book, which makes this gift all the more meaningful to our team and community.

Click here to view an informational and introductory video about Dos Puentes Elementary School.

Nos complace anunciar la donación del escritor dominicano Carlos Alonzo, quien nos ha enviado Una calle numerada y su versión en inglés, A Numbered Street.

Carlos Alonzo, periodista con más de 30 años de experiencia, nos presenta en esta novela una mirada intensa a la vida en los barrios de Santo Domingo durante los años 70 y 80. La historia sigue a Iván y Max, dos jóvenes con realidades muy distintas que enfrentan la pobreza, la discriminación y los sueños de alcanzar el “sueño americano”. Ambientada en el barrio Cristo Rey, la novela aborda temas como el autoritarismo, la desigualdad social y la esperanza.

Los invitamos a visitar nuestra biblioteca y explorar esta nueva adquisición.
 

On May 7, 2025, the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library received a remarkable donation of 24 books from Michelle Ricardo, co-founder of the Anticanon Project in the Dominican Republic. A visual artist, poet, educator/social activist, Michelle currently serves as our fourth Threatened Scholar, and their generous contribution enriches our collection significantly. Among the titles donated are notable Anticanon publications such as "La ciudad de los reflejos" by Ricardo herself, along with "Valores anticanónicos Emelda Ramos” by Anticanon Project, "La Rusalka" by Arlene Sabaris, and "Recorrerte" by Mary Cantisano. Additionally, the donation includes important independent works like "Colmena de llanto" by Ángela Suazo, "Hormigas en la pared" by Raisa Pimentel Mendoza, and "Abyecta" by Lauristely Peña Solano, further highlighting diverse literary voices.

The Anticanon Project is a cultural initiative dedicated to challenging traditional literary canons that often marginalize women's contributions. As articulated in their manifesto, Anticanon critically examines the patriarchal, racist, classist, and heteronormative biases entrenched in conventional literary appreciation, amplifying voices historically neglected or minimized. An essential aspect of Anticanon's mission is its focus on reeducating aesthetic appreciation and visibility of women's literary contributions through community-building, workshops, and publications, countering the myth that there are few Dominican women writers and demonstrating their substantial presence and influence (Dossier Anticanon 2022, p.3; Peña Solano 88-91).

Anticanon’s donation significantly strengthens our library’s collection, providing essential works that highlight the diverse voices of Dominican women writers. These texts serve as crucial resources for exploring themes of gender, identity, race, and cultural heritage in Dominican literature. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Anticanon Project and Michelle for this generous contribution and invite patrons to explore these valuable additions to our collection. Follow the Anticanon Project on Facebook and Instagram: @AnticanonRD.

Works Cited:

Peña Solano, Lauristely. "El anticanon en el terreno de las fronteras identitarias, culturales y geográficas en República Dominicana." Transatlantic Studies Network: Revista de Estudios Internacionales, vol. 6, no. 11, Jan.-June 2021, pp. 88-97.

"Dossier Anticanon." Proyecto Anticanon, 2022.

By Jhensen Ortiz, Librarian

Durante su participación en las pasantías de verano, Ana Belique realizó una significativa donación a la biblioteca enriqueciendo nuestro fondo bibliográfico. 

El libro donado, Somos quien somos: Historias de vida de personas dominicanas de ascendencia haitiana, recoge testimonios que dan cuenta de las luchas por el reconocimiento, la dignidad y los derechos fundamentales en la República Dominicana. Este aporte resuena de manera especial viniendo de Ana, quien ha vivido en carne propia los impactos de las políticas de exclusión y ha transformado esa experiencia en una trayectoria de liderazgo, visibilidad y acción colectiva. Para la versión digital en inglés, favor de pulsar aquí.

Aprovechamos también la ocasión para que Ana firmara el libro La muñeca de Dieula / Poupe Dieula, de su autoría e ilustrado por Michelle Ricardo.

Gracias, Ana, por tu generosidad y tu presencia.

Con mucha satisfacción anunciamos la reciente donación de dieciséis publicaciones producidas por la Editora Nacional de la República Dominicana, entregadas a nuestra biblioteca gracias a la generosidad de su director, Rubén Lamarche.

Desde 1994, la Biblioteca del Instituto de Estudios Dominicanos/CUNY ha recibido valiosos aportes de instituciones y particulares de diversas partes del mundo, que han sido fundamentales para nutrir y expandir nuestra colección. Esta nueva donación se suma a ese legado, enriqueciendo significativamente nuestro acervo con materiales culturales y académicos dominicanos de alta relevancia.

Los títulos donados serán incorporados a nuestros anaqueles y estarán disponibles para el público lector, estudiantes e investigadores interesados en la cultura, historia y literatura dominicana.

Agradecemos profundamente a Rubén Lamarche y a la Editora Nacional por este valioso aporte que fortalece nuestro compromiso de promover el estudio y la difusión de la cultura dominicana.

Invitamos a toda nuestra comunidad a aprovechar estos nuevos recursos que ya forman parte de nuestra biblioteca.

We are honored to share that Dr. Lidia Marte, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras, recently donated a selection of her published works, including her MFA thesis, to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library.

This generous contribution includes books authored by Dr. Marte, academic journals featuring her articles, and creative works that span both scholarly and artistic disciplines. These materials offer unique insights into her expansive and interdisciplinary body of work, and they will become a valuable resource for students, faculty, and researchers exploring themes in Dominican studies, visual culture, and anthropology.

Dr. Marte personally brought the materials from Puerto Rico. Her message ahead of the donation, offering us “first choice” of the materials, was emblematic of the care and intentionality behind this gift. She shared not only published books and her MFA thesis, but also journals, handwritten materials, and creative writings.

In addition to the books and thesis, Dr. Marte has also donated a portion of her personal papers to the CUNY DSI Archives, which will be processed separately in the future. These papers include fieldwork notes, drawings, early writings, and other creative and scholarly materials that will further illuminate her contributions to Dominican intellectual and cultural life.

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Marte to both the Archives and Library, where she signed her books, and later joined our team for a meaningful lunch. This time together allowed for rich conversations about her work, her vision, and the shared mission of cultural preservation and knowledge-making.

We are deeply grateful for Dr. Marte’s generosity and the trust she has placed in our Archives and Library. Her donation enhances the visibility of Dominican scholars and artists and will serve as an inspiring resource for future generations.

Stay tuned as we continue cataloging and integrating these materials into our collections — and sharing the stories they carry.

We were honored to welcome author and creative leader Tatiana Pagés-Cortiñas and her husband to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library at The City College of New York for a second generous donation to our special collections.

This most recent gift includes 35 additional volumes, among them two beautifully preserved editions of El Álbum de Oro from the Trujillo era — a rare and significant acquisition. These particular volumes will replace our existing, fragile copies, ensuring safer access for researchers and scholars exploring this critical chapter in Dominican history.

During the visit, Tatiana graciously signed a copy of her book, The Admiral, the Ballerina & Mr. Switche, which was part of her original donation. This personal touch added even more meaning to the moment, reflecting her deep commitment to preserving and sharing Dominican stories.

Tatiana’s full contribution now totals 97 books, each carefully selected and rich in historical and cultural value. These works enhance our holdings across topics such as Dominican political history, literature, identity, and the arts — serving as a vital resource for students, faculty, and visiting scholars.

We are also proud to note that The Admiral, the Ballerina & Mr. Switche was originally cataloged in WorldCat by our library, making us the first institution to list this important title.

We are deeply grateful for Tatiana Pagés-Cortiñas’s continued support and generosity. Her contributions help further our mission to document, preserve, and make accessible the complex histories of the Dominican people.

Stay tuned for more updates as we catalog and integrate these materials into our collections. We look forward to seeing the impact of her gift unfold in classrooms, research, and new generations of scholarship.

The CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library was excited to welcome back Dr. Sharina Maillo-Pozo, a former CUNY DSI Research Fellowship recipient, who recently visited and donated a copy of her first single-authored book, Bridging Sonic Borders: Popular Music in Contemporary Dominican/Dominican-York Literature.

This groundbreaking work explores the intersections of music, literature, and identity in Dominican and Dominican-American narratives, offering a vital contribution to Caribbean and Latinx cultural studies.

We thank Dr. Maillo-Pozo for her kind donation and for advancing critical scholarship that enriches our understanding of Dominican diasporic expression.

Jhensen Ortiz, Librarian

The CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library is honored to acknowledge a generous book donation from award winning playwright Carmen Rivera, who recently gifted published copies of her acclaimed play The Downfall of Rafael Trujillo and its newly released Spanish translation, La caída de Rafael Trujillo. Both editions were published by Theatrical Rights Worldwide in 2025 to mark the play’s return to the stage this spring.

Rivera originally donated a copy of the play to our library in 2014, the same year it debuted at Teatro Círculo. This year, the production returned to the stage from April 25 to May 11, 2025, following its previous run in 2023, and continues to engage audiences with its powerful portrayal of Dominican history.

This work is highly recommended for readers and researchers interested in contemporary drama, Dominican drama, and the works of Carmen Rivera. It provides a compelling lens into the cultural and political legacy of the Trujillo dictatorship through the voice of one of today’s most important Latinx playwrights.

We thank Carmen Rivera for her continued commitment to preserving and sharing Dominican stories through theater and literature.

 Jhensen Ortiz, Librarian