Category: Libraries in Japan
Stayed behind in Beijing for UBC access privelage and new requirements for vendors.
Presenting at CASS , suprisingly with new discovery and project proposals. Xu Huan at PKU and Joe from Apabi also asked for meetings, but it didn’t work out due to time restraints. Students and young librarians started sending me follow-up questions from Japan and Beijing. They and ref questions from home kept me busy working from hotel rooms.
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在筑波
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Experiencing Japan
I was impressed by the flower arrangement teacher at the International Affairs of Tsukuba U. , elegant lady with very strong hands.
Prof. Sugimoto drove me and Patrick around the town, to his neighborhood and treated us for lunch in a traditional family owned restaurant. I have all the respect towards this scholar, who is open, humble and thoughtful.
Mei, my college friend and a Tsukuba graduate, drove me to Narita Temple and her house. I was so excited experiencing Japan outside of the campus. When we parked the car on Mei’s drive way, a group of first graders walked by from their school. I was formerly introduced to them and we were all got excited and were busy chatting and joking. They wanted to be in my picture and visit me in Canada for they know “many English words”.
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Earthquake
Try to warn friends and family when I read about earthquake in Norhtern BC. They laughed at me worrying so much and maybe because I am in Japan. 
During my tour of the Tsukuba U. Central Library, and when I was taking this photo, I felt and heard the earthquake clearly, and so did others, but nobody was panicked or ran. Besides the auto-compact shelves, bars are also installed to prevent books falling off the shelves. It’s a very busy library. More than 50 volunteers and many student assistants are helping out.
The movie DVDs are marked with various copyright restrictions. A colorful exhibit on female students’ education history with lots of rare items from the vault.
I am flattered by Shoko who needs special permission to skip her class for my talk to the faculty.
The audience showed strong interest. It turned out to be very interactive. Thanks to Dr. Sugimoto and Dr. Lo’s introduction and tune setting. Dr. Hideo Joho’s comments impressed me and presented the difference in funding principles and organizational structure.
The senior gentleman from the Central Library stayed behind and thanked me in English and Chinese. I am humbled…
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Arriving in Tsukuba
Unlike Tokyo, Tsukuba is more like Canada, quiet and slow paced, very clean and neat streets and very green. Stayed in fancy Daiwa Roynet before I moved into the guest house on campus. The security guard was very serious with all my paperwork, and he stamped with his personal seal at the end.
Had a quick lunch at the Italian place and dressed up for the class. The classroom is alot like Chinese ones except for the large Panasonic Screen. From the students’ questions, I can easily sense the huge difference, which added the pressure for the next day’s lecture to the entire faculty.
Heavy fog at Beijing airport delayed my flight. When we landed in Narita, it was packed. Foreingers are required to take finger prints and photos, which slowed down further. On the way to Ueno, it was getting dark. It took me entire Saturday for this short flight.
Rachel picked me up on Sunday morning and took me to the National Museum. Its arrangment is very friendly, many buildings and smaller rooms with a beautiful garden. We spent hours there and didn’t feel tired at all. There’s special exhibit on Chinese ancient empires. Many rooms’ introduction stated the influence of China and Korea. Very low profile attitude, but the exhibits themselves present us the adaptive creativity of Japanese people.
On our way to meet Dr. Lo’s and Paul Kelly, we stepped into this bookstore, packed like in the Narita airport.
Just received the thank-you letter from Japan and glad to know Shoko is back home safely. She gave an impressive presentation last Friday. When I dropped her off at YVR, I had a Canadian style hug.
Glad to learn about the library operation in Japan and the program at Tsukuba. I think that their program is more forward-looking and intercultural. They sent the students to various countries as interns. A graduate student from Tsukuba requested an interview over Skype.