Development of the Chinese Collection in the Library of Congress

Hu, Shu Chao

ISBN 10: 0367291258 / ISBN 13: 9780367291259

Published by Routledge, 2020

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 41251537-n

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Development of the Chinese Collection in the Library of Congress
• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication Date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0367291258
• ISBN 13: 9780367291259
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This is the first comprehensive and in-depth study of the Chinese collection in the Library of Congress, the largest collection of its kind in the Western world. Started in 1869 with some 950 books received in the first exhange of publications between the United States and China, the collection has grown so steadily that in 1977 it numbered more than 430,000 volumes, including 2,000 rare Chinese items, some of which were printed in A.D. 975. In this primarily historical study, Professor Hu examines the social, cultural, and political forces that led to the development and growth of the collection, the acquisitions policies followed, and the sources of personal and financial support found within and outside the Library of Congress. He also explores the methods by which the library has built up several strong areas in the collection, particularly those of Chinese gazetteers, or local histories; ts’ung-shu, or collections of reprints; and rare works.

About the Author

Shu Chao Hu is associate professor of library science at Saint Francis College of Pennsylvania. He has published widely in China, and his many works include American Presidents: Their Life and Times and American Politics: A Collection of Essays.