UW News

July 24, 2008

Chinese studies librarians at UW for conference

Dozens of Chinese studies librarians have converged at the UW for the Summer Institute on Chinese Studies Librarianship in the Electronic Environment, hosted by UW Libraries.

The institute runs from July 19 to Aug. 1, focusing on the management of electronic collections and services. The training program has attracted 38 librarians from major East Asia libraries in North America such as Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and Princeton, as well as from institutions with smaller and newer East Asian collections such as Oberlin College and New York University. Also, about 20 scholars and professionals in library and information science are here to speak and give classes.

“Information technology is dynamically changing our library, transforming the local library to the global library. It increases the capacity to store, organize and disseminate information,” wrote Zhijia Shen, director of the UW East Asia Library and executive director of the summer institute.

“Digital content is growing rapidly in our library collections. Such opportunities have heightened the expectations of librarians, demanding that they reinvent library services and constantly renew their professional skills and knowledge.”

The institute addresses five key areas, according to Shen:


  • Trends of research in Chinese studies and publishing.
  • Collection development of electronic resources for Chinese language materials.
  • Latest developments in information technology pertinent to the Chinese language.
  • Development and accessibility of new electronic resources for Chinese studies.
  • Library management and leadership skills, including fundraising, outreach, institutional collaboration and resource sharing.