Acting Head of UC Berkeley East Asian Library Visits UM Library to Share Experience in Chinese Rare Books Curation and Resource Services (2026-10-28)
In the morning of 27 October 2026, Ms. Jianye He, Acting Head of the East Asian Library, University of California, Berkeley, visited the University of Macau (UM) Library, where she was warmly received by University Librarian Helen Xu, Assistant University Librarian Billy Leung, and Acting Assistant University Librarian Priscilla Pun, among others. During the visit, both sides exchanged views on library resource development, rare book curation, and academic services.
During her visit, Ms. He delivered a talk entitled “Transforming Collections into Resources: Chinese Rare Books Cataloguing, Publishing, and Resource Services at the UC Berkeley East Asian Library.” She introduced the East Asian Library’s experiences in the organization and curation of Chinese rare books, digital initiatives, scholarly publishing, and the promotion of special collections. She also shared insights on how library collections can be effectively utilized to advance academic research and knowledge dissemination. Participants engaged enthusiastically in discussions on topics including rare book preservation, the development of digital humanities, and innovation in library services.
Following the meeting, Acting Head He toured the UM Library's special and rare book collections, and the University Gallery, gaining insights into UM's achievements in preservation of valuable documents, development of distinctive collections, and presentation of university history and culture. The two parties also held in-depth exchanges on rare book collation, document conservation, and academic resource sharing. During the visit, Librarian Helen Xu presented to Acting Head He a copy of Relação Oficial da Embaixada do Rei D. João V de Portugal ao Imperador Yongzheng em 1725-1728, published by the University of Macau and compiled from a precious manuscript held by the UM Library, to promote further cooperation in special collections research and academic exchange.
The UM Library has long been committed to fostering exchanges and collaborations with university libraries and academic institutions both locally and internationally. This visit further strengthened ties between the two institutions and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation in areas such as resource sharing, rare book studies, and cultural heritage preservation.
Also joining the visit was Dr. Feng Xiangjun, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau.
Helen Xu presented to Acting Head He a copy of Relação Oficial da Embaixada do Rei D. João V de Portugal ao Imperador Yongzheng em 1725-1728
Group photo of attendees