|
Sidney Sing-Wu
Wang OAM, 19202004
 |
|
Sidney
Sing-Wu Wang at the ceremony to mark
the naming of the Asian Collections long-term
readers' room after him, 27 November 2003
[CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE]
|
Staff of the National Library and colleagues
around Australia
were saddened to hear of the death after a period of ill-health on 22 October 2004 of Mr Sidney Sing-Wu Wang, formerly Chief
Librarian, Orientalia Section of the National Library. Mr Wang is survived
by his wife May, three daughters and many grandchildren.
Mr Wang served as Chief Librarian, Orientalia
from 1964 to 1985 and worked successfully to build up the Library’s Asian
collections from their early beginnings to their current strength. He
was a dedicated librarian with keen bibliographic skills, a scholarly
knowledge of Chinese literature and Asian cultures and a great commitment
to assisting readers. ‘Think of the reader’ was his byword. He remains
affectionately remembered by many students of academics to whom he extended
great kindness and hospitality.
After retirement Mr Wang continued to collect
books, a favourite passion, and to write. Most recently he contributed
a chapter on the history of Chinese settlement in Australia
to the monumental work The Australian People: An Encyclopaedia of the
Nation (Cambridge University Press, 2001).
In 2003 the Library dedicated the long-term
readers room in the newly refurbished Asian Collections Reading Room to
Mr Wang. The room was formally opened with a small gathering for Mr Wang,
his wife and family, and a number of friends and former colleagues. Some
months later Mr Wang made the decision to donate his personal book collection
to the Library. The collection of over 4000 books, several long journal
runs and a collection of personal papers was received by the Library in
the weeks following Mr Wang’s death. It will be housed together as the
Wang Collection in the Library’s newest purpose-built stack on the fourth
floor of the Library.
Amelia
McKenzie, Director, Asian Collections
|