The Chinese collection of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Library started in the 1920s when the Library began collecting limited Chinese language books. In 1934, UIUC’s Chinese Alumni Association donated a set of Si Bu Cong Kan [ 四部叢刊 ] in 2,112 volumes, published by the Commercial Press [ 上海商務印書館 ] in 1929, which became the largest Chinese book acquisition prior to the establishment of the Far Eastern Library, the predecessor of the current Asian Library.
The strength of the Chinese collection lies in the humanities and social sciences with substantial holdings in language, literature, history, anthropology, philosophy, religion, especially Buddhism, arts, politics, and economics. The Library's Chinese language holdings, as of June 2005, include 165,379 volumes; 300 current serials titles; 8,566 microform items; more than 100 videocassettes; and a number of CDs. These resources are in support of research and teaching needs of Chinese studies at Illinois and beyond, and are supported by a collection of secondary materials in Western languages throughout the University Library system.
Since 2003, the Chinese collection has expanded to include electronic resources. We are currently subscribing to three series of the China Academic Journal Database (CAJ), providing online access to nearly 2,400 academic journals published in China , covering from 1994, with full-text articles. The addition greatly enhances our ability to service the information needs of China scholars, researchers, and students. These series are:
Literature/History/Philosophy (Series F): Literature, Philosophy, History, Archaeology, Music, Arts, Sports, Folk Custom, Language, Characters, News.
Economics/Politics/Law (Series G): Economics, Commerce and Trade, Finance, Insurance, Politics, Foreign Affairs, Military Affairs, Law
Education/Social Science (Series H): Education, Society, Psychology, Nation, Religion, Population, Talent, Books, Information, College Journal (Social Science Edition).
For any suggestions or requests for purchase of materials relating to China and Chinese studies, please contact Karen Wei (kwei@uiuc.edu or 217-244-2046). Reference questions can be directed to either Karen Wei or ShuYong Jiang (shyjiang@uiuc.edu or 217-244-3669).
