Japan’s Toyo Bunko has long been of great interest to scholars of Korean studies. However, Korean research on the Toyo Bunko has primarily focused on the library’s Korean classics collections and the reason why they are housed there. In the course...
Japan’s Toyo Bunko has long been of great interest to scholars of Korean studies. However, Korean research on the Toyo Bunko has primarily focused on the library’s Korean classics collections and the reason why they are housed there. In the course of a two-year exploration of the Korean classics housed in the Toyo Bunko, the present study also thoroughly investigated the methods of collection, management, and the utilization of literature and other materials in the Toyo Bunko, with a focus on its Chinese classics. The organization of Chinese classics housed in the Toyo Bunko was examined in terms of four categories: ① collection and preservation; ② the creation of lists and overviews; ③ processing and public display; and ④ exchanges of personnel and of materials. The major findings of this study can be summarized as follows. With regard to collection and preservation, the Toyo Bunko purchased or received donations of books and documents in batches to complete its ongoing collections rather than receiving them from other libraries or sub-organizations. For the creation of lists and overviews, the Toyo Bunko strived to correctly provide a minimum amount of information about materials to researchers. The library invested a great deal of time in preparing even simple presentations of brief information. At times periodical journals were also used for interim reports. In addition, in the case of collective research projects, the library focused on basic tasks such as the creation of raw data/reference lists and glossaries, rather than creating annotations or statement writings. With respect to processing and public display, it was noteworthy that the Toyo Bunko had an independent program to nurture literature research specialists. For personnel and materials exchanges, Toyo Bunko actively provided data and an environment for research under the condition that foreign researchers create their own lists and overviews.