Finding sources in the original language is crucial for scholars working in a field of study on a particular country or region. But it can be a challenge too, for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is that no library can afford to collect everything published everywhere, and JHU is no exception. Given the budget and space constraints, the Sheridan Libraries have been working very hard to provide adequate support for all areas of studies on JHU campuses.
What makes finding Chinese sources a unique challenge is that first of all, compared to our peer institutions, the Chinese collection at JHU is relatively small; and secondly, our catalog does not display the original Chinese characters, which makes online searching and browsing for Chinese titles all but impossible. If you are one of those who have been frustrated when it comes to finding Chinese materials but have been too nice to complain about it, here comes your reward for being so patient! Mr. Yunshan Ye, the new liaison librarian for East Asian Studies, will be teaching a workshop on Digital Resources for Chinese Studies next Tuesday, for all interested JHU faculty and students. Among other things, Mr. Ye will introduce some of the most important Chinese e-resources that will dramatically enhance our Chinese Studies collection and make Chinese materials much more readily accessible for all JHU users.
So, don’t let the challenge for searching for Chinese sources hinder your research. Come to the workshop on April 24 Tuesday, at 3 pm in the CER Conference Room on the Q Level of the Eisenhower Library. Refreshments will be provided, courtesy of the East Asian Studies Program.