The East Asia Library is the home of various specialist librarians for Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Tibetan resources. The Japan Studies Subject Librarian is Azusa Tanaka. In addition to curating and caretaking one of the best Japanese library collections in the nation, and ensuring she is available as much as possible to assist students with Japan-related research and even writing, she is also an author.
Tanaka’s book entitled Subject Librarians: Unpacking Their Roles in American Academic Libraries (Japanese: サブジェクト・ライブラリアン － 海の向こうアメリカの学術図書館の仕事) was published by Kasamashoin in December, 2017. This new book focuses on what it means to be a subject librarian in U.S. academic libraries, and details the “history, qualification, career steps, and day to day work” of librarians like herself.
On Saturday, February 24, 2018, Tanaka will be giving a book talk and signing at Kinokuniya, Seattle (525 South Weller St. Seattle, WA 98104). The talk will appeal to those who are interested in the differences between Japanese and U.S. academic libraries. Tanaka’s talk will cover what it takes to become a subject librarian and what she has learned so far in her own career.