Month: April 2012

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Awards, Grants & Scholarships Events Experience Instructions Life Professional Development Readings Reference Questions

No Slow Time


The campus is so quiet on this rainy Monday, as if I could hear the petals falling off the magnolia trees by IKBLC. Solving a mystery of a series with messy bib records as soon as I walked into the library, turned out it’s a call-back set from Surrey storage. This reminds me several recent reference requests, the Three-year Plan and a new in-depth research season.

Just confirmed with Katherine on new Forestry students’ orientation in July, still owe Bronwen the DigitalProjectApproval forms this week, and would love to develop my online course when Caroline is here to help.

Dr. Cheng, Prof. Gu and Patrick are still waiting for my part. More urgent research tasks are our book charpter for SCSL and the PPT for WCILCOS conferecne, although I don’t understand why we need to submit the PPT, since our whole papers are already on files. With this much workload, not sure if I can get away for Shangri La and Guilin this summer, although I miss the harmonious beauty in these two places.

Categories
Events Professional Development Reference Questions

Developmental diasporas in China and India

Professor Kellee Tsai from Johns Hopkins was invited to Political Science as a distinguished speaker. Lots of my friends attended Johns Hopkins Nanjing Centre. Prof. Tsai’s talk was held in Buchanan Penthouse in the unusually warm and bright Friday afternoon. She compared migration and diaspora capital flows in China and India, which she thinks should be incorporated into explainations of development. Prof. Tsai proposed to reconsider conventional capital in the two countries. She used the stats of 56 millions of Chinese residing in 120 countries and regions, which is pretty close to the Chinese official number–45 millions in the past 30 years, just difference time span. She explained that the number is more general and diasporas more refers to network. She made a joke of herself as not networked, alone and from New Jersey.

I wasn’t suprised to see many familiar faces at the talk. Reference requests from PolSci are increasing, and now with a list of new book purchasing request. I can’t wait to read Prof’s Tsai’s two most cited books in her field. Hope to see her new book soon.

Categories
Events Libraries in China What others are saying

Director Zhu’s Visit

My regular Thursday TS work was interrupted, and I had to return to Asian. Peking U. Library Director, Dr. Zhu Qiang, just arrived in town for Ingrid’s Presidential program. Shakeela came to Asian Library first to arrange for another group of VIP visitors. I picked enough rare objects from the vault right before Dr. Zhu showed up accompanied by Alvan and Jo Anne.

I met Dr. Zhu last Oct. in Xiamen. He only spent three days here. He asked about current teaching and research in China Studies, and he knows some profs at UBC. The upper floor didn’t impress him much, and he requested to see the special collection right away. He pointed out that our Puban Collection cataloguing is incomplete. PKU has a scientific lab that can test the age of ancient rarebooks. He even invited me to PKU. 朱馆虽然话不多，但是颇有气场。

Categories
Experience Reference Questions

Final Weeks with Cherry Blossoms

Really exited reading Benjamin’s final paper and receiving more in-depth research questions. Glad to receive the rare items from UCSD, U of Chicago and China for Jonnathan, Noa and Gary. Cherry blossoms are late this year, so are the final weeks.

Categories
Events Experience Instructions Life

Art of Relaxation

Good relaxation activity -- snow owl watching

This program was nearby. I skipped lunch and tried to attend, but was almost stopped by a reference request on the way out. I felt guilty saying “no”, but did and rushed out. Besides the methods of relaxation, learning to say “no” really struck me.

Quite often, I skip lunch or spend too much time on non-UBC users’ requests, because I thought we are the last stop in this country for the information they seek. Today, I had three-class visit with last minute notice. I agreed to take care of them, because I was away and then sick, and so this is the last chance. I am glad I did and still feeling high now by answering their questions. Good students!

Just received Jonathan’s confirmation of receiving the rare movie DVD from UCSD Library. Still searching for the rare early 20th Century’s Shanghai journals for Gary. I am glad I don’t have to say “no” to our own folks thanks to my world-wide pro connections.

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