NCC Historical Projects: Junior Japanese Studies Librarians

The North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources' Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Professional Training Seminar will take place at Harvard University August 18th to 23rd, 2002. Part of the NCC's new series of training initiatives, the seminar is supported by generous funding from the Japan Foundation, the Northeast Asian Council of the AAS, and Harvard's Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies. Travel grants and other funding opportunities for trainees are outlined in Applying for Financial Support. The seminar is also co-sponsored by the Harvard-Yenching Library, where many of the sessions will take place.

The NCC's Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Professional Training Seminar will provide intensive training in all aspects of Japanese Studies Librarianship, including:

• Collection development -- using selection tools such as catalogs and databases, selecting and contracting with vendors, and making the most of collection budgets;
• Faculty and student user services -- strategies for keeping abreast of research trends among faculty, training in specialized reference materials to aid faculty research in various disciplines, and providing bibliographic instruction to faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students;
• Electr onic resources -- hands-on training in new electronic resources including commercial databases, newspaper information, issues related to contracting with vendors of electronic materials, and the consortial licensing of such materials;
• Computing and technology-related issues, and international resource sharing;
• Cataloging of Japanese language monographs, serials, and multi-volume sets;
• Site-visits to various collections of the Harvard-Yenching Library, the Documentation Center on Contemporary Japan, the Pusey Map Library, and the Library of Harvard Law School;
• Roundtables focused on professional development strategies and fund raising strategies for collection development. Roundtables will provide trainees ample opportunity for detailed follow-up questions.

Schedule and Agenda

To insure optimal interaction among trainees and lecturers and to develop the relationships upon which good mentoring ties can grow, enrollment is limited to 15.

Completed applications (an original and four copies) with all supporting documents must be received by May 31, 2002, at the NCC's offices at 217 Varick Road, Newton, MA 02468. Notification will be made to successful candidates by June 20, 2002. For information please contact NCC Executive Director Victoria Bestor at vbestor@fas.harvard.edu, or one of the NCC's Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Training Committee Co-Chairs: NCC Chair Sachie Noguchi noguchi@pitt.edu or Kuniko Yamada McVey kmcvey@fas.harvard.edu. Application Guidelines for The North American Coordinating Council On Japanese Library Resources' Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Professional Training Seminar

Applicant Qualifications

The NCC's Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Professional Training Seminar is open to all qualified junior librarians currently working in a Japan-related position within an academic institution or research library located outside Japan. Applicants should possess a masters of library or information science degree (MLS-MIS) or its equivalent and/or an advanced degree in Japanese Studies. Most instructional sessions will be taught in English with some hands-on training taught in Japanese, therefore applicants must have a high degree of fluency in both languages. Candidates are expected to continue their career in the field of Japanese Studies librarianship for at least five years after completing the program. Preference will be given to more junior librarians and years of service may vary depending on the types and levels of position(s) held. Those working all or part of their time in support staff or non-professional positions are particularly encouraged to apply to better develop the full range of skills and and knowledge required of a Japanese Studies librarian. Otherwise qualified individuals not currently employed in Japan-related positions, and those now completing an MLS/MIS degree who are otherwise fully qualified, may apply providing they can demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a career in the field, and will be admitted only on a space available basis.

Application Materials

• Applicants must complete the applicant's questionnaire.
• A statement in English outlining professional goals within the field of Japanese Studies Librarianship, discussing ongoing research interests in the library and information field, and outlining areas in which further training would better equip the applicant to serve the professional and research needs of faculty and student patrons at his/her home institution is required. That statement should be no longer than 1,000 words, or a maximum of three 1.5 spaced pages in a 12 point font.
• Supporting letters: at least one letter must come from a supervisor in the applicant's library. If possible, applicants are encouraged to submit the second letter from a Japanese Studies faculty colleague or another library patron familiar with Japanese Studies resource needs. Letters should be forwarded to the NCC by applicants as part of the application packet.
• All application materials must be submitted in English.

Completed applications (an original and four copies) with all supporting documents must be received by May 31, 2002, at the NCC's offices at 217 Varick Road, Newton, MA 02468. Notification will be made to successful candidates by June 20, 2002. Successful candidates must accept enrollment by June 30th, 2002 and a non-refundable registration fee of $25 must accompany acceptance. Questions should be sent to Executive Director Victoria Bestor at vbestor@fas.harvard.edu, or one of the NCC's Junior Japanese Studies Librarians Training Committee Co-Chairs: NCC Chair Sachie Noguchi noguchi@pitt.edu or Kuniko Yamada McVey kmcvey@fas.harvard.edu.