Event Report： Public Lecture by Christina Laffin, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia

Public Lecture by Christina Laffin, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia
University Libraries as Sites of Research and Pedagogy: Origins and Current Approaches at the University of British Columbia and Waseda University

For this event, Christina Laffin, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, delivered a lecture titled “University Libraries as Sites of Research and Pedagogy: Origins and Current Approaches at the University of British Columbia and Waseda University.” From her perspective as a teacher of classical literature, she spoke about current and future prospects of research and pedagogy centered on the use of rare books held in university libraries.

The lecture began with an overview of the University of British Columbia’s history and its relationship with Japan. Professor Laffin also explained the process by which the university’s library collections were formed, including how distinctive archives such as its map collection were acquired and developed, and introduced the educational programs implemented to support undergraduate and graduate students in their use of library materials. In the second half of the lecture, she presented concrete examples of pedagogical initiatives centering the University of British Columbia’s library collections. These included a project in which graduate students, responding to a lecture on travel writing, searched for relevant materials and edited a video documenting their work; a graduate student’s research project on Yoshinoki, a travelogue held in the University of British Columbia collection; classes that addressed disaster literature and the connection between natural disasters and culture through namazu-e (woodblock prints featuring the mythical giant catfish, namazu); and classes in which students studied bankoku sōzu (Japanese maps depicting the world), bringing their own perspectives to the materials and deepening their engagement through group work. Each example illustrated an engaging, highly creative approach to working directly with library materials. In the face of AI’s growing influence, material culture and the ability to cultivate the skills to research facts are more vital than ever. Through the many concrete examples discussed above, Professor Laffin’s lecture offered insights into how university libraries can enrich and expand the possibilities of research and education.

Following the lecture, Shimada Osamu and Sakashita Sayaka of the Waseda University Library Special Collections and Hasegawa Atsushi of the Waseda University Toyama Library offered comments informed by their perspectives as library professionals. Referring to materials such as leaflets from The Foundations of Knowledge: Building the Library’s Collections, an exhibition held at the Waseda University Central Library in spring 2025, they introduced a century-long history of the Waseda University library and emphasized the critical role of donations in building the collection. They also discussed future possibilities for engaging with library materials. Through this dialogue, it became clear that while the histories of the libraries at Waseda University and the University of British Columbia may overlap in certain respects, there is also much to learn from one another’s initiatives and practices.

The discussion was then opened to participants, who raised many questions and comments, including perspectives on how to use library materials more effectively and the challenges currently faced by university libraries.

This lecture also aimed to pose questions and raise awareness of issues that would encourage students at both universities to continue conducting research using materials held at their respective institutions and engage in ongoing scholarly exchange. The event provided a valuable forum to share information about the two universities’ libraries, identify opportunities for further research and pedagogy, and reflect on how to better draw out the significance of university libraries.

Event Details

• Date/Time: Friday, December 19, 2025, 15:30–17:00
• Format: In-person (Meeting Room 10, Floor 16, Building 33)
• Organizer: Ryusaku Tsunoda Center of Japanese Culture, Research Institute for Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Waseda University