August 22, 2011

On Tuesday, August 9, 2011 the staff of the Libraries attended a special presentation from Haruki Nagata, a specially appointed professor at Japan's Rikkyo University. Nagata gave a presentation on the earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster and the effects on Japan's libraries.

Nagata's presentation sparked a discussion on the similarities and differences of libraries in Japan and in the United States and the role of libraries in helping the country to rebuild. Nagata was joined on his trip to the United States by library colleagues Kazutomo Tanaka and Yumie Tsuri, who in the country to visit and learn from public and university libraries. The three guests were given a tour of W. W. Hagerty Library and the Library Learning Terrace and spent time with several staff members within the Libraries, including Systems Technician at W. W. Hagerty Library, Megan Finney, who had previously studied in Japan.