No. 108, April 1999

The 18th Mutual Visit Program between
the National Diet Library
and the National Library of China

A National Library of China (NLC) delegation visited Japan from November 8 to 19 on the 18th mutual visit program between NDL and NLC. The program started in 1981 to exchange opinions on issues of mutual concern and to further strengthen mutual understanding and friendly relations.

Headed by Zhou Heping, Deputy Director of NLC, the delegation consisted of the following four other members: Jin Fengji, Senior Librarian, Liu Xiao Bai, Director of Information and Network Department, Jing Hong Da, Director of Book-Collecting and Circulating Department, Tang Geng Sheng, Director of Youth Committee.

At the reception, from left: Mr. Jin, Senior Librarian of NLC Mr. Zhou, Deputy Director of NLC Mr. Miyawaki, Deputy Librarian of NDL Mr. Tobari, Librarian of NDL

Plenary Meeting (November 9)

At the Plenary Meeting, Mr. Zhou Heping, Deputy Director of NLC described the electronic library projects of the NLC. The NLC started its automatization project in the middle of 1970's. By now, the library has nearly finished automatization of operations from acquisitions to user service. More than 1.3 million bibliographical data are stored in some twenty databases. Nearly 1.5 million pages of electronic books and journals were accessible through the NLC Homepage as of July 1997.

In addition to that, the "Chinese Electronic Library Project" is under examination as an important national project. Digitized Chinese materials will circulate nationally and worldwide through the national networks and the internet.

Mr. Mineo Miyawaki, Deputy Librarian of the NDL, reported on the electronic library projects of the NDL. The library celebrated its 50th anniversary in the transition to the information society. The library is promoting the electronic library projects and the Electronic Library Infrastructure System to improve both domestic and international library services.

Section Meeting I (November 10),

Mr. Jing Hong Da, Director of Book-Collecting and Circulating Department of NLC, read the paper "The Collection of Asian Materials and Information of the National Library of China". Mr. Takashi Tomikubo, Head of Asian Materials Division of NDL, reported on the Asia Resource Information Center project in the Kansai-kan (tentative name).

Section Meeting II (November 11)

The NLC made some proposals to strengthen our cooperative relations at the 17th mutual visit program in 1997. In this session we discussed the draft proposed by the NLC and the NDL. Both libraries agreed on "Letter of Intent concerning Exchange and Cooperation between the National Diet Library and the National Library of China" as follows: 

1. Continue the Mutual Visit Program as before
2. Investigate possibility of staff exchange for the training
3. Cooperate in construction of bibliographic databases in Chinese and Japanese
4. Cooperate in international exchange of materials and document supply service
5. Cooperate in the NDL's acquisition of Chinese materials for an Asia Resource Information Center in the Kansai-kan (tentative name)

Closing Session (November 11) 

In the closing session Mr. Zhou and Mr. Miyawaki summed up the program.

From the next day, the delegation visited libraries, museums and other institutions in various parts of Japan. They also visited many historic sites relating to Japan-China relations and left Japan on November 19.

up