• 2018-12-24

On November 22, 2018, National Central Library Director-general Tseng Shu-hsien, and Director of Library and University Collections of the University of Edinburgh, Mr. Jeremy Upton, signed an agreement for Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies and held a ceremony marking the occasion. This is the first Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies in Scotland. Since starting the TRCCS project in 2012, this is the 31st center to be established. 

The University of Edinburgh was established in 1583, and is one of the most important academic institutions in the UK. The Library has collections of more than 3.5 million books and 40,000 valuable rare books and archives, including a Chinese book printed in woodblock in 1440 - 'Zhou yi zhuan yi da quan' [Complete commentaries on the Yi Jing]. The amount of collections is next to University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, and ranked 3rd in the UK.

During the establishment of a Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies (TRCCS) at the University of Edinburgh, Director General Jason C. C. Lien from the Taipei Representative Office in the U.K., Edinburgh Office, personally attended and shared remarks. He gave his blessing on the endeavor and testified of the various exchanges that have occurred between Taiwan and the University of Edinburgh. Director of Library and University Collections Mr. Jeremy Upton stated his pleasure that they could join the ranks of universities with a TRCCS and emphasized that doing so will enable them to effectively expand their East Asian holdings. The Assistant Principal of the University, Professor Natascha Gentz, was also in attendance. In her remarks, she talked of her experience in working with colleagues from Taiwan and welcomed the establishment of the TRCCS. Professors from related disciplines were in attendance, as well as foreign students from Taiwan. The collaborative feeling in the air was palpable.

After the official signing of the TRCCS agreement, Dr. Joseph Marshall, Head of  Special Collections and Center for Research Collections, took time to show attendees the library’s collection of ancient books. Mr. Jeremy Upton gave Director-general Tseng a tour of the library, including its history, the reader interaction area, makerspace, and future development plans. It is hoped that in the future both libraries can have even more opportunities for exchange.