Since its inception in 1960 with the acquisition of the Puban collection, the Asian Library has developed into the largest research collection of Asian language materials in Canada. In 2010, its holdings stand at more than 610,000 volumes. It also includes over 10,660 electronic serial titles, 1,557 e-books, 33,600 microforms, 600 audio and video materials in ten Asian languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit, Tibetan and Persian. While the collection is comprehensive in tis range of subjects, it is especially strong in the humanities and social sciences.
The Asian Library is committed to supporting the learning and research needs in UBC, and as resources permit, that of the research community at large. A team of eight-member that speaks eight languages and dialects are always here to serve the needs of the user.
The Asian Library (named as Asian Studies Division at that time) was housed in the old Main Library (now Irving K. Barber Learning Centre) when it was first established. Since the opening of the Asian Centre in 1981, it has been operating at its 21,500 square feet, three-storey premises.
Building an Academic Library in the Heart of Pacific Canada: the case of the Asian Library at the University of British Columbia (by Eleanor Yuen, Head)
The Big Idea – film on the making of Asian Centre
2012
In cooperation with the Ohio University Libraries, Asian Library will host the 5th WCILCOS International Conference of Institutes and Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies on Chinese through the Americas between May 16-19. (http://wcilcos.library.ubc.ca)
2011
The Pang Jingtang collection is appraised by Dr. Tai-Loi Ma.
2010
The Pang Jingtang collection and Ron Bick Lee Papers were acquired.
The Asian Library memory databank was launched.
2009
Launch of Ming Pao community news digitization project. Ming Pao is one of the three major current Chinese newspapers in Canada.
In collaboration with more than 10 UBC departments and units to offer a one-day event named “Asia Voilà” to showcase the rich Asian-related resources at UBC.
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan viewed items from the Asian Library rare books collection, as well as rare Japanese maps from Rare Books and Special Collections.
2008
A community reception was held to honour Master Wong Toa, a local Cantonese musician and mentor. A related exhibition on Cantonese opera in British Columbia was mounted at the Asian Centre lobby.
Worked with representatives from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver Public Library, the British Columbia Library Association, and Library and Archives Canada to host the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations)Satellite Conference on “Multicultural to Intercultural: Libraries Connecting Communities”.
Professor Jae-gap Song, an emeritus professor of Tongguk University donated approximately 3,000 titles of books, mostly in literature and religion of Korea in 1970’s.
2007
Korean Foundation pledged to provide US$120,000 over four years to support for Korean-language collection development in designated disciplines.
Collaborated with Simon Fraser University in digitizing the Chinese Timesas part of the Multicultural Canada digitization project
The total number of public workstations was increased to 20, 15 of which were loaded with language training software for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi and Punjabi.
Celebrated the acquisition of the Si Ku Collections, the most important resources for the study of pre-modern China.
2004
The first phrase of “Transition to Online Journals” project was introduced.
Princess Takamado of Japan visited the Library and presented a donation from the Japan Foundation. This donation included a set of books on Noh masks, the history of Japanese advertisements, and early 20th century women.
The library online catalogue system with Unicode support was introduced. This facilitated the retrieval and display of bibliographic records in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
2001
Asian Library, the Centre for Chinese Research, UBC and the David Lam Centre at Simon Fraser University collaborated to develop an online archive of Historical Chinese Language Materials in British Columbia.
Online full-text journal began to be acquired.
2000
In collaboration with the Institute of Asian Research, Asian Library hosted a photograph exhibition titled “The Faces of Irregular Migrants”. The Asian Library Open House was held annually to celebrate Asian Heritage Month.
Received a donation of US$10,000 from Mrs. W.S.C. Chao towards the Si Ku Quan Shu CD-Roms.
1997
Asian Library acquired the Swann Collection, which contains roughly 1,000 unique titles, including some rare reproductions of Japanese and Chinese paintings.
1995
Worked with the Fuji Publishing from 1995 to 2001 to reproduce a sixteen-volume set of Kanada Iminshi Shiryô[Hisotrical Materials of Japanese Immigration to Canada].
1994
Preservation project of Japanese-Canadian materials continued on Kanada Shinbun [The Canada Daily News] and Nikkan Minshû [The Daily People].
1993
Automated circulation system was implemented. Users were no long asked to fill out the circulation slip for every single item they borrowed.
1992
Korean-language material acquisition began.
1991
With the grant from the Asian Pacific Foundation of Canada and contribution from the Friends of Asian Library, the Puban Collection was appraised by Prof. Tsuen-hsuin Tsien and Dr. Ming-Sun Poon.
1989
The Indonesian-language collection was established.
1987
The first preservation project of Japanese-Canadian materials began with the microfilming of Tairiku Nippô [The Continental Daily News].
1984
The Consulate-General of India in Vancouver donated books on Indian art and architecture.
1981
Asian Library moved into the new Asian Centre, and was officially designated a UBC Library branch.
1975
A large collection of books in South Asian languages was received from the University of Washington.
1974
The construction of the new Asian Centre began.
1971
Chinese Times, the longest-running Chinese-language newspaper in Canada, was received as a donation from the publisher.
1970-71
The University of British Columbia was given the roof and structural framework from the Sanyo Pavilion built for the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka to serve as the base for the new Asian Centre.
1968
South Asian materials were first included in the Library collection following the establishment of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.
1965
Jing Yi Zhai and Song Xuepeng collections were purchased with a large donation from H.R. MacMillan.
1964
Acquisition of the G.H. Beans collections of rare Japanese maps of the Tokugawa period (1603-1867).
Ms. Tung-King Ng accepted as the head of the Asian Library.
Prof. R. Dore helped acquire the private collections of Sir George Sansom & Dr. Herbert Norman.
1959
Puban Collection was acquired with the support from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Dr. Walter Koerner.
Asian Library was designated as the Canadian depository library for Japanese Government Publications.
1948-49
Course titled “Modern Chinese History since 1644” was offered by Dr. Ho Ping-ti.
Asian Library developed a 50th anniversary memory databank in 2010 for the following purposes:
1. document the history of the development and growth of the library
2. preserve the photographs, documents, and memorabilia pertaining to library-related activities
3. document the memories of the people involved in the establishment of the library
4. enlighten the UBC and the wider community about the library’s services and programs
We worked together with cIRcle, UBC’s digital repository to create four main categories:
1. Articles/Publications
2. News room
3. Audio-visual records
4. Historical materials and miscellaneous
 Chinese Books [Display] (1954)UBC Archives [UBC 1.1/2157] |
 Priscilla Scott examining Chinese book collection (December 1959)UBC Archives [UBC1.1/2243] |
 Construction of Asian Centre (1974/75)UBC Archives [UBC1.1/183-6] |
 Construction of Asian Centre (1974/75)UBC Archives [UBC1.1/183-4] |
 Asian studies in Main LibraryUBC Archives [UBC1.1/9121] |
 Tung-King Ng, Asian LibraryUBC Archives [UBC 44.1/2465] |
 Linda Joe, Asian Library with Chinese dictionary from the P’u Pan collectionUBC Archives [UBC 44.1/2553] |
 Move of Asian Studies Libraryto Asian Centre UBC Archives [UBC 41.1/981-2] |
People
