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…
This post-Thanksgiving Vancouver weather marks the end of my two-year effort on the rare books. How sad! 真可谓“屋漏偏逢连夜雨，船迟又遇打头风”。 The incident brought me back to this blog. Wonder if it also marks the end of an era and I should look forward to a new start. 祸福相依的道理我还是懂得的。Gains and losses go side by side.
I appreciated a much shorter staff meeting today. Some Chinese students in the neighborhood came to the Exhibit with their parents on this PD day. I recognized Peril right away who has been our loyal reader and donor, and she is with Tsu Chi Academy of Humanity. The group’s comment is really encouraging. I spent longer time than I expected to give them the tour of the collection.
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.
This morning, all my mind was on the visa issue in Guangzhou and how to hang the panels in the Auditorium. Asian Studies’ pancake breakfast was in there and changed the setting and feeling of the room. The folks’ warm greetings stopped my worries on the exhibition. What a great opportunity meeting new colleagues! Dr. Lin from Taiwan shared her views towards Academia Sinica. The new Chinese Language Program Director, Dr. Wang Qian, is young, sweet and energetic. She questioned me about services for her students right away. Too bad, I had three meetings scheduled, and didn’t have chance to chat with lots of people.
Ran over to IAR with the paper plate. Happy for our History Ph.Ds who received global offers. Their research questions are still fresh in my mind…Tim is not only supporting the exhibit, but also helping with developing the collection. Late for the meeting with Trish, and need to follow up with Sheryl on the CCR donation, need to schedule another meeting in IAR. Wonder if my answer to her translated literary works has left anything out.
Interrupted by visiting scholars half way through the letter to Canadian Embassy in Beijing. My paper in Chinese Classics & Culture lead them here. Phoebe thought they were my friends. Let them browsing the stacks while I brought some rare items out of the vault. They were shocked to see 18th Century’s books on open shelves. A New York Prof who is teaching in Hong Kong just emailed me for Deng Zhimo’s Chan Yin Gao. Wrapping up within 45 minutes and had a quick stop at the Digital Initiatives, thanked all folks there for the testing with Asian rare books.
Prof. Rea’s new student was waiting in Asia, answered her questions and realized the seniors have been helping the new comers like her. Good for you, guys! Some one is making my life easier. This post is getting too long, and emails are still rushing in…
Never looked back until the LDO pushed me a few times. Vivienne followed up over the phone and asked for some rough numbers and dates. Then I am suprised by how many friends I have made globally and how much I have learnt from those activities. If the Collaborative Virtual Reference is considered as the fun start, then winning the BC Scholars to China and TLEF Fund has gained me financial support to reach out and wide. When I tried to slow down now, more and more invitations are rushing in. Our library users benefit the most and above all, I enjoyed all those long jurneys. 读完卷书不如行万里路,行万里路不如阅人无数，阅人无数不如名师指路，名师指路不如自己去悟. Glad I have experienced all these, and now just follow my own heart and select those work I like the best.
程师兄又在批判啦，这回是针对不爱读书的中华民族！：“相对世界其他民族而言，中华民族可能是世界上最不喜欢读书的民族之一。如果不是隋朝以后延续一千多年的科举考试和如今的高考和就业与职务晋升的要求，这种学而优则仕的利诱，中国恐怕没有多少人乐意去读书，更遑论终生学习”。
Chris wrote from Australia on TARUMOTO Teruo’s 樽本照雄 新編增補清末民初小説目錄, which can be made into a value-added project by librarians. I am glad Harvard colleagues share the same interest. Tarumoto sensei reminds me about those independent scholars at the Conference two weeks ago.
Rudy Chiang’s presentation on BC salmon canneries was fascinating. I figured he must have come up with those questions from his own work as fish quality specialist, like “Who were those 76 Chinese fishermen recorded in New Westminster’s 1881 Census?” “What’s the dollar amount of 1904 canned salmon pack from the Chinese and First Nations crew (1.7 million)?” I could sense his excitement from his findings.
Maurice Guibord’s project on transformations of landscape, architecture and burial practices in local cemeteries is quite different from UBC folks’ projects. He sounded even more exciting when the attendee lady from Cuba asked him question in Spanish. I had a pleasant chat with him at lunch time, and he left after lunch for his Francophone Historical Society event.
It is time to have some reflection on the conference, which now seems to go down in history.
Receiving several questions on Chinese databases. Our graduate students are very confused. They would assume if a serial title is covered, all its issues and full-text articles would be available. When we ran into so many unavailable ones this week, I could sense the frustration from our students, but the vendors could easily say “NO”. 郁闷！
On another hand, if our ILL lends so many articles out, could they help bring some in? What really frustrates me is these databases don’t give page numbers, so the ILL online form wouldn’t take the requests. Will need help from Mr. Winter, and alert users on the information pages.
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。