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The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- The University of British Columbia
- UBC Development and Alumni Engagement
A hub of scholarship, learning and community connection, today’s Asian Library at UBC embodies the vibrancy of the Asia Pacific region, as well as the evolving multicultural identity of Pacific Canada. A home of rare and unique historical treasures, the Asian Library is also a source of cultural, linguistic and scholarly information on the digital cusp.
With a collection of more than 600,000 volumes dating back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and access to thousands of academic resources online, this is Canada’s premier Asian Library – and one of the top Asian research libraries in North America. Here, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, South and Southeast Asian languages and cultures co-exist and cross-pollinate, bridging past and present, East and West.
UBC is seeking partners to re-develop the Asian Library as a centre for research excellence and community engagement that anticipates academic and community needs for the next 50 years – and beyond. The distinctive roofline, a hallmark of the building’s original form as the Sanyo Pavilion in the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, is in desperate need of repair.
A centrepiece of the Asian Library’s engagement with researchers and community is the planned Family History Resource Centre – a project dedicated to the family history and genealogy of immigrant communities.
In addition, a vibrant, user-centred space on the upper floor of the Asian Library will be dedicated to interactive study and learning.
This revitalization will align the Asian Library’s physical space with world-class resources and expertise – underlining a commitment to education and cultural knowledge.
Total Renovation: $12 million
Naming: $5 million
UBC is seeking partners to re-develop the Asian Library as a centre for research excellence and community engagement that anticipates academic and community needs for the next 50 years – and beyond.
