New Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies at East Asia Library of UW Libraries

A Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies (TRCCS) has been established at the East Asia Library of University of Washington Libraries through collaboration between UW Libraries and the National Central Library, Taiwan.

On October 2nd, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the University of Washington (UW) Libraries and the National Central Library (NCL) of Taiwan was signed in establishment of the Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies at the East Asia Library of UW Libraries. This new center is the second established in the United States, and the eighth worldwide. At the UW signing ceremony, NCL Director-general Tseng Shu-hsien presented also the University of Washington with a gift of the reproduction of a Taiwanese national treasure—the Annotated Poems of Su Dongpo – dating from the twelfth century.

Following the signing ceremony, guest speaker, Professor Shih-hui Chen from the Shepherd School of Music of Rice University, spoke on “Messages from Taiwan: Recreating Tradition through Musical Composition”. A scholar and composer, Dr. Chen is world renowned in her field. A third component of the dedication on OCT 2nd was the official opening of an exhibition entitled “Traditional and Modern Music of Taiwan,” on display in the UW East Asia Library through December 12. Included in the exhibit are 79 volumes and 92 audiovisual files of modern, traditional, pop, aboriginal, and Hakka musical selections and musicians.

At the signing ceremony, Vice-Provost and Dean of UW Libraries Betsy Wilson said, “The center is another milestone in the long tradition and friendship between UW Libraries and National Central Library and other Libraries in Taiwan.” Through the center, this collaboration brings to the University of Washington valuable scholarly publications of Chinese and Taiwanese studies and an annual series of lectures about Taiwan. The establishment of the center will further expand scholarly resources in Taiwan Chinese studies at the UW, enlarge the scope of exchange between the University of Washington and Taiwan, and promote cultural understanding.