NCC Historical Projects: Japan Studies

(formerly the Japan Foundation-National Diet Library

Japanese Studies Librarians Training Program) NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 18, 2004, in Tokyo and the Kansai

To: U.S. Japanese Studies Librarians and Japanese Information Specialists

From: The North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources

APPLICATIONS DUE BY JUNE 25, 2004 (5 pm EDT)

We have just been informed of the schedule for the 2004 Japan Studies Information Specialists Training Program (formerly known as the Japan Foundation-National Diet Library [NDL] Japanese Studies Librarian Training Program). The NCC has been asked to nominate two candidates to represent U.S. Japanese Studies Librarians in this Training Program. The intensive three-week program in Tokyo (during the first two weeks) and the Kansai Area (for the third week) will be an outstanding opportunity for experienced librarians to learn the most up-to-date information on many aspects of Japanese Studies librarianship. The program will be held from November 28th (instruction will begin November 29th) and runs through December 17th, 2004 and expenses will be supported by the Japan Foundation.

Successful Candidates Must:

• Be Japan information specialists (such as librarians) who work for the universities, research institutions, and national and/or public libraries which play an important role in the county or region,
• Be U.S. citizens or those with an appropriate working visa,
• Be proficient in Japanese (at least JLPT Level I or the equivalent), because all instruction will be in Japanese),
• Have at least 2 years experience as a Japanese Studies Librarian or Japanese Information Specialist,
• Plan to work in the field for ten years or more,
• Have a strong willingness to share their training with local and regional networks of Japanese Studies colleagues, and
• have a record of accomplishments in that area,
• Be of sound health to handle the intensive three-week program,
• Agree to strictly adhere to the schedule and accommodation arrangements made by the Japan Foundation for the duration of the training program,
• And submit the written permission of their supervisor to attend the November 28-December 17, 2004 program (at the time of application).

If you meet these requirements and are interested in applying, please send an e-mail application responding to the following points to vbestor@fas.harvard.eduNO LATER THAN JUNE 25, 2004 (5pm EDT).

Photo copies of the program announcement and the tentative schedule for the program are available upon request from Victoria Bestor (vbestor@fas.harvard.edu). The U.S. participants in the 2003 program were Tokiko Bazzell (tokiko@hawaii.edu), Sanae Isozumi (sisozumi@ucsd.edu)), Beth Katzoff (bsk28@cornell.edubsk28@cornell.edu), and Haruko Nakamura (hnakamur@library.wustl.edu), please consult them for further details on the program.

Generally one candidate is accepted per country. However, the final decision about the number of U.S. participants will be made by the Japan Foundation and there is no guarantee of any candidates being selected from the U.S. or any other country. In any event, candidates from the University of Hawaii, University of California at San Diego, Cornell University, and Washington University in St. Louis are ineligible for consideration for 2004 because the 2003 U.S. participants were from those universities.

Your application must include the following:

Name:
Job Title:
E-mail address:
Institution name:
Work address:
Work telephone no.:
Work fax no. (if available):
A brief description of your current job responsibilities and length of time in that position:
A summary of other work experience:
A description of your Japanese language proficiency:
Your educational degrees:

AND MOST IMPORTANT PLEASE WRITE:

A brief statement (not longer than 2 pages) on how the Japan Studies Information Specialists Training Program would benefit you and your institution and, of utmost importance, please outline how you would share the training you receive in the program with others in the Japanese Studies field.

Please send applications electronically, as a file attachment to e-mail, by 5 pm EDT June 25, 2004 to: Victoria Lyon Bestor NCC Executive Director