Introduction
The Origins of the Overseas Japanese Antiquarian Materials Study Group (OJAMASG)
Since 2007 in June every year 19 Japanese studies librarians from European and North American libraries and museums have gathered in Tenri City to attend training at the “Tenri Antiquarian Materials Workshop” held in the Tenri University Central Library. The aims of the workshops are to foster the knowledge and expertise needed for organising and managing Japanese antiquarian materials outside Japan, and by creating databases of information about these widely scattered collections, to improve their accessibility and thereby promote research.
The specialist knowledge needed for this is wide-ranging and there is a great deal to be learned. Such knowledge is not something that can be acquired in a short space of time but increases in breadth and depth through practical experience. The intention is, therefore, that in these workshops expertise is acquired in incrementally over the course of three years. Knowledge gained in a given year is applied by participants in their regular duties back at their workplace and problems encountered are taken forward to the next year’s workshop so that more practical knowledge and skills can be acquired and cultivated.
In June this year the second workshop was successfully completed and once again it confirmed the view that the step-up method is a really effective approach. As the participants were all familiar with the format and methods of the training we were able to devote ourselves more fully to the training and to make the most of it. We gained confidence that our knowledge and experience of antiquarian materials were increasing and were stimulated by the dedicated instruction and support we received from the lecturers, all of which served to develop our positive attitude, desire to learn and sense of cooperation.
Taking advantage of this increased awareness and motivation, two brain-storming sessions were initiated during the workshop, which culminated in the formation of the Overseas Japanese Antiquarian Materials Study Group (OJAMASG). The purpose of the Group is to pursue the study of antiquarian materials, to strengthen networking, and to foster close collaboration and consultation among members. We also plan to address ourselves to those librarians in the field who were not able to participate in the workshops and to expand our support network to include them.
The Study Group’s activities are to be publicised on this new homepage which has been created with the support of the British Library. The first two collaborative projects are the compilation of a directory of the collections of Japanese antiquarian material in members’ home institutions and to create a list of examples of technical terms useful for antiquarian cataloguing.
In conclusion we would like to express our profound gratitude to Tenri University and Tenri Central Library for their great efforts in organising and running the Tenri Antiquarian Materials Workshops and Symposia which provided the impetus to set up this Study Group, to the Japan Foundation and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation for their financial assistance, and to the National Institute of Japanese Literature (NIJL), National Institute of Informatics (NII), European Association of Japanese Resource Specialists (EAJRS), North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources (NCC) for their collaboration, and to all those who have been involved in making the Workshops possible. We sincerely hope that we will be able to rely on their continued support.
Izumi Tytler : Chair, Tenri Workshop Committee
The specialist knowledge needed for this is wide-ranging and there is a great deal to be learned. Such knowledge is not something that can be acquired in a short space of time but increases in breadth and depth through practical experience. The intention is, therefore, that in these workshops expertise is acquired in incrementally over the course of three years. Knowledge gained in a given year is applied by participants in their regular duties back at their workplace and problems encountered are taken forward to the next year’s workshop so that more practical knowledge and skills can be acquired and cultivated.
In June this year the second workshop was successfully completed and once again it confirmed the view that the step-up method is a really effective approach. As the participants were all familiar with the format and methods of the training we were able to devote ourselves more fully to the training and to make the most of it. We gained confidence that our knowledge and experience of antiquarian materials were increasing and were stimulated by the dedicated instruction and support we received from the lecturers, all of which served to develop our positive attitude, desire to learn and sense of cooperation.
Taking advantage of this increased awareness and motivation, two brain-storming sessions were initiated during the workshop, which culminated in the formation of the Overseas Japanese Antiquarian Materials Study Group (OJAMASG). The purpose of the Group is to pursue the study of antiquarian materials, to strengthen networking, and to foster close collaboration and consultation among members. We also plan to address ourselves to those librarians in the field who were not able to participate in the workshops and to expand our support network to include them.
The Study Group’s activities are to be publicised on this new homepage which has been created with the support of the British Library. The first two collaborative projects are the compilation of a directory of the collections of Japanese antiquarian material in members’ home institutions and to create a list of examples of technical terms useful for antiquarian cataloguing.
In conclusion we would like to express our profound gratitude to Tenri University and Tenri Central Library for their great efforts in organising and running the Tenri Antiquarian Materials Workshops and Symposia which provided the impetus to set up this Study Group, to the Japan Foundation and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation for their financial assistance, and to the National Institute of Japanese Literature (NIJL), National Institute of Informatics (NII), European Association of Japanese Resource Specialists (EAJRS), North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources (NCC) for their collaboration, and to all those who have been involved in making the Workshops possible. We sincerely hope that we will be able to rely on their continued support.
Izumi Tytler : Chair, Tenri Workshop Committee
Record
26/03/2009
The first edition has been uploaded
10/09/2008
The pilot version has been uploaded
The first edition has been uploaded
10/09/2008
The pilot version has been uploaded