Center for Historical Investigation (CIH): Safeguarding the History of Puerto Rico

    Sometimes it is hard for those who have not lived in the island long enough to understand Puerto Rican reality--even for some Puerto Ricans now and then.  During the 1990's, an entire generation of college students attending the University of Puerto Rico were unable to use its central library, the Lazaro, given that it was under an interminable process of remodelation.  Although theoretically its resources were available, we know that a great majority of these existed only in the intangible theory.  Although, for example, the journal "ISIS" appeared in the electronic catalogue, a physical search of its volumes revealed that they were found in boxes which would not be accessible until the remodelation completed--a situation  aggravated by not being able to obtain an exact date for its reopening.  A student who wished to study the history of Puerto Rican science and technology would not have been able to access tis and other resources in the renown collection.  Had he been creative and tried searching for resources in the library of the Association of Architects, Engineers, and Surveyors, he would have found it closed given the new childcare center replacing it--decision of the Department of Education then led by the corrupt Victor Fajardo.  Perhaps, had he been tenacious in his search, he would have gone to the General Archive in Old San Juan, only to find it either closed or with limited access to resources given the fungus problem at the time, actually closed due to remodelation. Despite having wasted so much time, perhaps the student would have persisted by amplifying his options in going to the Inter-American University's library, the Ateneo Puertorriqueño or the Carnegie Library, but he would have found that their collections consisted of a very small room full of obsolete books.  Had he verified the Natural Sciences library (UPR), he would have realized that many of the books that appeared in the electronic catalogue had been stolen.   Finally, without loosing all faith along with the disappeared money, he would have fortunately been able to go to the Center for Historical Investigation (CIH), where he would have easily found the resources essential to his search, immediately available, of both primary and secondary nature.  The CIH, linked to the History Department (UPR-RP), has continuously kept its doors open throughout the many uncertainties that is the novel of the Puerto Rican reality; it has been a safe haven for our history.