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Last October, I was honored to be the featured author in Casa da Saudade library’s monthly newsletter, a publication that reaches Portuguese Americans far beyond New Bedford’s borders. Today, that same library faces closure as the city attempts to balance its budget through cultural amputation.
The proposed closure of Casa da Saudade library isn’t just a budget cut, it’s cultural erasure. This institution has served as more than just a repository of books for over five decades; the library has been the beating heart of Portuguese American identity in one of America’s most Lusophone cities.
Imagine a young child discovering their heritage through the library’s extensive collection of Portuguese-language literature, or a second or third generation descendent dipping into a language they crave to understand, or an elderly immigrant finding solace in familiar stories from their homeland. These are the irreplaceable experiences that Casa da Saudade provides.
The numbers tell the story of potential irrevocable loss
Casa da Saudade houses approximately 34,000 volumes, many in Portuguese and Kriolu, including my own bilingual volume of poetry, Azorean Suite/Suite Açoriana, which is not available in the United States, and Margarida Vale de Gatos’ translation of another of my books, published only in Portugal. These and other materials simply don’t exist elsewhere in the region, and certainly not in an institution accessible to the public.
Portuguese Americans comprise nearly 34 percent of New Bedford’s population, while Cabo Verdean Americans account for an additional 8.8%, and the numbers increase if you expand the area served by this library to include Fall River, Bristol County, and the rest of the South Coast. In fact, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined rivals California for the highest populations of Luso Americans. These communities rely on multilingual programming, literacy support, and culturally relevant resources that mainstream libraries simply cannot provide.
The library serves as an anchor for cultural transmission
For generations, Portuguese and Cabo Verdean families have gathered here to maintain linguistic connections, share traditions, and access materials in their native languages. Children learn Portuguese through story hours while adults access immigration resources — all within a space that understands their cultural context. The library is a living, breathing part of the community.
This proposed closure represents a broader pattern of institutional neglect
Across America, immigrant communities watch their cultural institutions disappear to budget cuts, while mainstream institutions receive protection. New Bedford’s decision sends a clear message about whose heritage the city values.
To be sure, cities face genuine budget pressures, and tough decisions must be made. However, the operational cost of Casa da Saudade likely represents a fraction of the city’s budget, hardly the solution to New Bedford’s fiscal challenges.
As a third-generation Portuguese American of Azorean descent, I appreciate the importance of a place that preserves our heritage, legacy, and culture while continuing to provide relevant services to the vibrant community of Portuguese speakers, readers, and those curious about the culture.
The “Saudade” in the name of this library is an iconic Portuguese word that I have defined in one of my poems as “a longing for lost things.” New Bedford built its identity, in part, on Portuguese immigration and culture. Closing Casa da Saudade does not balance a budget, but it most certainly abandons a soul. The city council must recognize that some institutions are worth more than their line items. Let’s ensure that Casa da Saudade continues to be a beacon of Luso American culture for generations to come.
Scott Edward Anderson is the award-winning author of six books of poetry and prose, including Azorean Suite/Suite Açoriana, as well as a translator of important Azorean and continental Portuguese poets. He was the featured poet at last year’s Poesia Celebration of Portuguese Poetry & Culture in Fall River. Born in Providence, he currently resides in western Massachusetts.
The Mayor made this poor choice, he could have shut down one of many departments or one of the 90 plus properties he has amassed during his administration (example close the Quest Center it has never turned a profit, operates in the red, and continues to drain city tax dollars). It is time fo change in City Hall, there is no one to blame for the city financial troubles but the mayor.
While Casa da Saudade may have served a meaningful role for the Portuguese-American community and for the author, no single ethnic group has permanent domain over a city or its public resources. Cities grow and change. Populations shift. What once made sense might not anymore. This is not cultural erasure. It is a reflection of changing needs and priorities. If a service no longer fits the needs of most residents or cannot be justified within the budget, then reevaluating it is reasonable. Culture is not confined to a building. It continues through people, language, and shared traditions wherever they go.
I am of French Canadian descent, grew up in Fall River, and raised my children in New Bedford. When they were little, we spent many days at Casa. The children’s activities were always multicultural and entertaining, and the librarians were wonderful. It would be wrong to close this library. Aside from losing the amazing cultural collection, it will limit the availability of resources to a large number of residents who will no longer be able to walk to a library for resources.
The impending closure of Casa da Saudade library is so hard to digest, particularly in the face of national efforts to erase so many cultures and heritages. I hope that supporters of Casa da Saudade will continue to resist this unfortunate decision and maintain hope that efforts to ensure the continued operation of this important cultural center will prevail. Similarly, we must also maintain resistance to national efforts to diminish cultural significance and retain hope that a reckoning is soon forthcoming.