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Columbia University Libraries and Waseda University Library, Japan Sign Memorandum of Understanding
June 20, 2002 Columbia University Librarian James
G. Neal and Professor Michitaro Urakawa, Director
of Waseda University Library, signed a memorandum of understanding
between their libraries on May 30, 2002 at Waseda University in Tokyo.
It outlines terms and conditions of agreement between the two institutions
regarding cooperation in materials exchange, information assistance, interlibrary
loan, digital initiatives, staff exchanges and network building.
This agreement extends the cooperation the two have enjoyed through the
Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Global
Resources Japan Project and a long period of personal contacts and
will continue through the new Global ILL Framework initiative.
The libraries have agreed to cooperate on exchanges of books and journals
published by the presses of both institutions and by assisting each other
to obtain books, journals and other scholarly information resources, both
print and digital, on the basis of equivalent value and mutual benefit.
The interlibrary loan agreement expands the existing Waseda /Columbia
interlibrary loan arrangements. In addition the two institutions will
explore collaborative digital initiatives, conduct staff exchanges, and
work together to develop close ties between East Asia and North American
libraries and their institutions.
James Neal signed the agreement when he was in Japan addressing a conference
on the future of scholarly publishing. "We are especially pleased
to have a direct memorandum of understanding with Waseda University, one
of the world's leading institutions of higher learning. They are a valuable
academic library partner in Japan and in Asia," he said about the
agreement.
Waseda University Library was established
in 1882 when the university was founded as Tokyo Senmon Gakko. A new Central
Library building opened in 1991 to commemorate Waseda University's centennial.
There are 28 libraries at the University including the Central Library,
four Campus Libraries, and school libraries or reading rooms for students
and faculties that are attached to each school and institute. With more
than 4.5 million volumes, 46,000 serials, Waseda University houses one
of the largest library collections in Japan and has central services supporting
various information needs on and off-campus. Waseda University Library
web site is at: http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/index.html.
Columbia University Libraries is the nation's
eighth largest academic library system, with 7.5 million volumes, 49,000
serials, as well as extensive collections of electronic resources, manuscripts,
rare books, microforms and other non-print formats. The collections are
particularly strong in humanities and history, architecture, East Asian
and other Area Studies materials, oral history, theater, and original
materials in English and American literature and history. The collections
and services are organized into 22 libraries, supporting specific academic
or professional disciplines. The Library's web site http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/
is a gateway to the print and electronic collections and services.
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