Gifts from Japan

The Ross Pendergraft Library wishes to say “Domo arigatou gozaimasu” to the Read Japan Project for the donation of 162 books about Japanese studies to the library’s collection.  The books were received last week from the Nippon Foundation through the Japan Science Society as a token of friendship between the United States and Japan.

Dr. Kae Hashimoto Reed stands next to Philippe Van Houtte with award letter from the Nippon Foundation

Philippe Van Houtte, Systems librarian and visiting French instructor, applied for the book grant with Dr. Kae Hashimoto Reed, visiting instructor of music and Japanese.  Together, they worked on a proposal which highlighted Arkansas Tech University’s current efforts at showcasing Japanese culture to the Nippon Foundation by including examples such as the International Film Festival and the Light the Night Festival.  Their efforts culminated in the recognition of the Ross Pendergraft Library as a recipient of the Read Japan Project.

The books cover a wide range of subjects including literature, art, science, history, economics, and culture.  Most of the volumes are in English, though a few Japanese language titles were also included.  This collection is meant to promote the understanding of Japan around the world through the donation of books.

A row of books on Japanese history and culture

As books are added to the library, they can be searched in Find It by using the phrase “Read Japan Project”.  You can also find a list of some of the donated titles at the Nippon Foundation website: https://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/en/what/projects/readjapan/.  Once the books are processed, they will be available to the entire campus community for borrowing.

For more on Japanese culture, be sure to check out the next installment of Dr. Kae Hashimoto Reed’s Manga Lecture Series: “Demon Slayer” on November 15th at 7:00 P.M. in RPL 300A.