From December 14 of this year, Waseda University Library (Director: Nobuyuki Kamiya) has begun sequentially digitizing its collection of 300,000 Japanese and Chinese classical works (including over 200 national treasures and important cultural properties) and made them available to the general public along with its bibliographical data. On the occasion of the first public data release, Waseda University Library is spotlighting “Western Studies”, one of its distinctive collections.
Until now, access to collections of the old and valuable documents. has been severely restricted, as physical preservation of the documents is of paramount importance. However, documents and items embodying Humanity’s intellectual heritage should be available to all; with this ideal in mind Waseda began digitizing its collection back in April of 2005, and this effort now culminates with the collection’s electronic unveiling.
Waseda University Library has already digitized and made publicly available Edo era “Nishiki-e” and “Hikifuda”; Chinese New Year posters; documents related to the founder of Waseda University, Shigenobu Okuma; and other items, which have been digitized after their display in exhibitions. These items are easily found via any general search engine and a large number of requests for access to them come from overseas as well as from within Japan (one example of this being the number of requests from teachers to use documents and other materials in their classes). This digitization project was born from a desire to meet, in a more exhaustive and complete manner, these numerous demands for access.
（Right-hand photo: Portrait of Sugita Genpaku painted by Ishikawa Tairo, 1812 (Bunka 9), Colors on silk, important cultural property, 1 scroll）
Users of this database can instantly access sharp, crisp digital photos of entire texts via the Waseda University Library’s Waseda University Information Network System (WINE). Furthermore, these images can easily be found using general search engines such as ‘Google’. Thus, even if a user is unaware of WINE, they can still find the valuable document images that they need. In addition, a Classics Database Portal Site will be put on the Waseda University Library Website to allow users to search simply and agreeably.
The full, digitizing will take five years to complete; a general schedule for the project as disciplinary focus is given below.
2005：Western studies and natural science
(history of science)-related documents (currently in progress)
2006：Literature, art and folklore
2007：History and biography
2008：Philosophical and religious works
2009：Social science-related documents
Once the database is complete, it will be the model of an exhaustive classics database for Japan, with an eye towards working partnerships with other antiquities collections both within Japan and overseas. With the ability to easily access images of the original documents online, it is hoped that this digital collection will help foster change towards a new educational and research style.
【For enquiries, please contact】
Waseda University Central Library Special Collections Room (Supervisor: Matsushita)
Phone：+81-3-5286-1651、E-mail：sm920@waseda.jp
