• 2015-09-23

Prior to Director General Tseng’s visit to the University of Toronto(U of T) to attend the TRCCS opening ceremony, she, together with Professor Sherry Chen, University Librarian of National Taiwan University Library, Prof. Lin Chi-Min, Department of Arts and Design of National Taipei University of Education and Director Hsiao-ming Yu of NCL Special Collections Division, made special arrangements to visit Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library and Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library of U of T and Royal Ontario Museum. They were warmly welcomed by Dr. Stephen Qiao, Director of the University of Toronto (U of T) Library.

In 1933, the Rev. William C. White, former Anglican Bishop of Henan, China, heard of a fine Chinese library for sale. It consisted of about 40,000 volumes collected by a scholar Mr. Mu Hsueh Hsun (1880 - 1929). He was the former secretary at the German Legation in Peking. Bishop White with some scholars put together a donation for the purchase of the library. The Mu Collection reached Toronto in 1935. This marked the beginning of the Chinese collection.

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library houses the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections including books, manuscripts and other materials; and the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services (UTARMS), which holds the official records of the University. The present building was opened in 1973. It is named in honour of Thomas Fisher (1792-1874). In 1973 his great- grandsons, Sidney and Charles Fisher, donated to the Library their own collections of Shakespeare, various twentieth century authors, and the etchings of the seventeenth century Bohemian artist, Wenceslaus Hollar. Since that time the Library has grown to approximately 700,000 volumes and 3000 linear metres of manuscript holdings.

The U of T Library has an ornate but elegant interior design. The book shelves of each floor are like a big bookcase wall. Looking down from the upper floor of the library through the dim yellow lights, the entire library is like a golden bookstore.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) was established in 1912. It is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Canada. It is the largest in Canada. The museum was under the direct control and management of the University of Toronto until 1968, when it became an independent institution. The museum has maintained close relations with the University of Toronto throughout its history, often sharing expertise and resources.

Director General Tseng, Prof. Lin Chi-Min, Professor Sherry Chen, and NCL Director Hsiao-ming Yu pose for a souvenir photo.

Dr. Stephen Qiao (L-1) introduces precious rare materials of the Library and poses for a souvenir photo.

Director General Tseng and companions visit the Western rare books library

Director General Tseng standing on the highest floor of the Golden Bookstore

A scene of the library (Retrieved from: http://fisher.library.utoronto.ca/about-us)

Posing for a souvenir photo in front of the Robarts Library, University of Toronto

Director General Tseng and companions, together with Dr. Chen Shen(3rd left), Interim Deputy Director Collection and Research at Royal Ontario Museum pose for a souvenir photo in front of the museum.<

Director General Tseng and companions with Director General Rong-chuan Wu of Toronto TECO