This summer the Asian Library offered two tours to the members of the Association of Administrative & Professional Staff (AAPS), the professional association for the Management and Professional (M&P) staff group at UBC.

The tours took place on July 6 and August 29 with a total of 30 M&P Staff from 18 departments attended.  Phoebe Chow, Program Services Assistant, first told the story of the Asian Centre building, focusing on its huge, pyramid-shaped roof that was originally made for the Sanyo Pavilion during Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan. The participants then followed Naoko Kato, Japanese Language Librarian, and Lucia Park, Korean Language Librarian, to explore all three levels of the library. Participants were particularly interested in the Asian language learning materials as well as the collections with traditional Asian bookbinding. Finally, participants toured the outdoor area, including the Pacific Bell tower.

As part of the AAPS Summer Networking Series, these lunch and learns tours provided an exciting opportunity for members to get to know the campus and its resources better. We wish to see more staff visiting the Asian Centre and the Asian Library in the future!