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ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 44 | April 2000


Library training in Japan

Mayumi Shinozaki of the National Library’s Asian collections has recently been in Japan, undertaking a three-week training course in Tokyo from 15 January to 4 February 2000. This was funded by the Japan Foundation and organized mainly by the Japan Foundation in collaboration with the National Diet Library (NDL) and the National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS). Several Australian librarians have undertaken this training in previous years.

Thirteen Japanese studies librarians from the USA, Britain, Canada, China, Korea, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Egypt and Australia took part in the program. The participants represented libraries of varying types and sizes, including national, university and research libraries. Each day there were training sessions at the NDL. Topics included reference tools, statistical publications, government publications, newspapers, manuscripts, the NDL’s digital library system, cataloguing classical Japanese books and the NDL’s new online systems and service. The NDL is going to open the World Children’s Library in Tokyo this May, and is planning to open a second library in the western part of Japan in 2002.

All the library’s staff were heavily involved in the revolutionary change to online data management systems. The NDL is planning to put most of the databases concerning its library collections on its web site.

At NACSIS, participants received training on electronic resources. NACSIS was formed by the Japanese Ministry of Education to be the core supporter of university libraries in Japan. It has just moved the shared catalogue of university and research libraries onto the web (http://webcat.nacsis.ac.jp/webcat_eng.html).

During her stay Mayumi also visited a number of libraries and book suppliers in Tokyo and Kyoto. She found it very useful to see the collections, meet the librarians who work there and make contacts for the future. It was also a great opportunity to learn what is happening in other countries in relation to Japanese studies information services.

For further information contact Mayumi Shinozaki (mshinoza@nla.gov.au).

Library training course in Japan
Mayumi Shinozaki (back row, second from right) with Mr Tsukada of NACSIS (front row, second from left)
and Japanese studies librarians from eleven countries during the training course in Tokyo
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Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: tford@nla.gov.au

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