THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARIES signed an international agreement for academic cooperation with the National Library of China in a ceremony at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library on Monday, March 25. “International collaborations such as these are becoming increasingly important as global information resources grow exponentially. By working together we are able to provide access to resources that would otherwise not be accessible,” said Larry Alford, Chief Librarian of the University of Toronto Libraries. The two institutions, which have been working together for several years to exchange materials, expertise and best practices, have much to offer each other for the mutual benefit of local and international scholars and researchers. This new international partnership will build on existing cooperative relations to focus on areas such as conservation and preservation, digitization of rare materials, staff exchanges and training programs to enhance skills in material processing, preservation, research and the exchange of publications. Most importantly, it will increase access to the significant rare and special collections held by both institutions, for example, through collaborative acquisition and digitization projects to build collections and make them broadly accessible. The University of Toronto Libraries are proud to be collaborating with an institution of the stature of the National Library of China, which holds the largest collection in China and the largest collection of Chinese books in the world. It is ranked fifth in the world for square footage and collections. MARGARET WALL
