"Collecting Books for Public Use: HKU Libraries’ Projects to Collate and Share the Chinese Special Collections"

Abstract

<p>HKU Libraries is well-known among international academics for its immense holdings, especially its collection of rare books and special items. Based on the experience that the speakers gained from participating in the funded projects to collate the Chinese special collections, this presentation explores feasible methods for document collation, historical research, and knowledge sharing. The special collections chosen for collation are focused on Luo Zhenfu 羅禎符 (a doctor in the Qing court), Chinese merchants in Hong Kong, traditional clans of the New Territories, and Professor Luo Xianglin [Lo Hsiang-lin] 羅香林; also included are holdings assembled by collectors and connoisseurs<em> such as Huang</em> Muhan 黃慕韓, <em>Luo Yuanjue </em>羅原覺, and Li Zuyou [<em>Lee</em> Cho Yau] 李祖佑. Each of these collections has distinctive features of its own. But what unifies them is that they are all valuable resources for investigating the cultural, economic, and social links between Hong Kong and South China, and also other regions in and beyond China in modern times. To explore, collate, and promote these collections with limited resources, it is crucial to foster efficient collaboration between the Libraries and the various teaching departments, in order to facilitate the participation of the teaching staff and students in related tasks. Ultimately, the collected items will be digitized and globally shared, which is the most effective way of making them accessible to the Internet community. This presentation is divided into three parts. The first part will recount how the Libraries acquired these collections and specifies the size and the main theme of each collection. The second part will explain, from the perspective of teaching and learning, how to promote sustainable document collation by ensuring interdisciplinary collaborations and offering an internship course. Finally, student researchers will illustrate how they have participated in and benefited from the research projects.</p>