Delegation from the Shanghai Library（including Director General Chen Chao）Visits the Kasuga Area of the University of Tsukuba.
On September 9, 2025, a delegation from the Shanghai Library, led by Director General Chen Chao, visited the University of Tsukuba.
The Shanghai Library is one of the largest public libraries in China, holding approximately 57 million volumes. Established in 1952, it functions not only as a public service library but also as a research-oriented institution serving the needs of scholars. In 2022, its new branch, Shanghai Library East, opened with a total floor area of 115,000 square meters, making it the largest single-building library in China. It has since become a center for cultural engagement and learning, blending art, culture, and technology through the enhancement of digital resources and public programs. The University of Tsukuba has maintained an international exchange agreement with the Shanghai Library since 1999, fostering ongoing collaboration through which students from the university have been sent to the library, and delegations from the Shanghai Library have visited Tsukuba on several occasions.
During the visit, Professor Atsuyuki Morishima, Dean of the Institute of Library, Information and Media Science, gave a presentation introducing the university’s educational and research organizations as well as the iSchool initiative, helping the delegation deepen their understanding of the university.
The subsequent discussion session featured an introduction to the college’s international internship programs and achievements in building global partnerships. The Shanghai Library, in turn, presented its advanced initiatives in library services utilizing cutting-edge digital technologies. Both sides actively exchanged ideas on potential collaboration, including a range of concrete proposals for future cooperation.
Following the exchange of views, the delegation toured the Library on Library and Information Science, gaining firsthand insights into the university’s academic environment.
This visit proved to be highly meaningful in strengthening mutual understanding between the two institutions. It is expected that the partnership will continue to grow and contribute to the advancement of global education and research in the field of library and information science.
Prof. Kanae Suzuki giving an explanation about the International Internship Program
Left: Prof. Atsuyuki Morishima, Dean of the Institute; Right: Mr. Chen Chao, Director General of the Shanghai Library
Group photo
Visit to the Library on Library and Information Science