National Chi Nan University Library
History
The National Chi Nan University Library was established in July 1995. In the early stages of constructing the university, the library was temporarily housed at the National Chi Nan University’s Affiliated Senior High School (formerly Puli High School). In 1996, the library was moved to the General Building of Chi Nan University. In March 1999, it was relocated again to the back part of the school’s Science Building Four. It served the entire school from the building’s first through the fourth floor, but was closed in September of 1999 due to the 921 Earthquake. The university campus resumed its function in May of 2000, and the library was temporarily relocated to the basement of one of the student cafeteria buildings and the first and second floors of Science Building Four. A plan for constructing a Library and Information building was then launched, and construction began on September 20, 2002, which took four years to complete. After it went through inspection and furnishing, the library was officially opened on September 1st, 2006, providing a brand new and comfortable reading space to the entire school faculty and students.
Organization
The library is under the supervision of a dedicated curator who oversees all aspects of its operations. The curator is responsible for managing two key sections: the Acquisitions and Cataloguing Section, which handles the procurement and organization of library resources, and the Reading Services Section, which provides circulation and other patron services. Additionally, a Library Advisory Committee has been established to evaluate the library's performance and develop long-term plans for its continued growth and development.
Elevating Service Quality
A) Revitalizing the space
B) Supporting Teaching Research
C) Other Unique Services
Internal Building Efficiency
To promote energy-saving and carbon reduction in the school, the library has implemented various measures. Induction lights and motion auto-sensing lighting equipment have been installed in the book display areas to monitor air conditioning and lighting. Energy-saving fans were also placed on each floor, on the southern, northern, and eastern sides, to enhance air circulation and reduce energy consumption. These efforts have resulted in a total electricity saving of 484,492 kWh from 2016 to 2022.
In recognition of these achievements, the school received the first prize from the Ministry of Education’s School Energy-saving and Carbon Reduction Project in 2016, making it a model for other institutions. Moreover, the library places great emphasis on providing high-quality air for its readers and conducts regular air quality tests. It has been awarded a government rating label of "Excellent" for self-managing indoor air quality from 2020 to 2023.
Caring for society
Universities have a responsibility to fulfill social duties. In 2017, the library organized the "Send Love to Boyo, Donate Children's Storybooks" activity in collaboration with the Puli Reading Alliance, which included the libraries of the Affiliated Senior High School of National Chi Nan University, National Puli Industrial Vocational Senior High School, and Nantou Puli Public Library. This initiative invited township residents, teachers, and students to participate in donating storybooks to the Boyo Social Welfare Foundation, enriching the teaching materials and extracurricular readings for teachers and students. Additionally, the library runs a campaign called "You Donate Love, I Deliver Books" each year during Library Week in December. The campaign collects invoices and donates them to welfare institutions, such as the Eden Social Welfare Foundation and the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation. The library takes every opportunity to give back to the community.
Internationalizing the library collection
A) Southeast Asian Studies Collection
National Chi Nan University established the first Department of Southeast Asian Studies in Taiwan, and the library has been actively collaborating with the department to build up its Southeast Asian academic literature collections. The library closely cooperates with the department's research projects and assists teachers in collecting relevant research materials. Additionally, the library has completed a web page showcasing its featured Southeast Asian Studies Collection.
B) Pleasure Reading Corner
To provide students with a comfortable and conducive environment for reading, the library has partnered with the Language Center to establish the Pleasure Reading Corner. The collection boasts a diverse selection of books in multiple languages, including novels, reading series, picture books, and comics, catering to readers of different levels. All books were carefully selected by the Language Center's teachers, ensuring high-quality content. The library hopes to offer students a relaxed reading atmosphere and further improve their language abilities.
C) Book Donations from Diverse Sources
The teaching faculty at our school is dedicated to fostering international academic exchanges, and their efforts have resulted in the acquisition of a rich collection of books and journals that are now featured in our library. Generous donors, including Professor Jiang Lin Yingji, Professor Mineo Nakajima, the American Institute in Taiwan, and Hong Kong Baptist University, have also contributed materials to our library. In addition, we have received prestigious works such as The Siku Quanshu from the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, The Complete Works of Venerable Master Hsing Yu from Fo Guang Shan, and art-oriented books from the Books and Documents Department of the National Palace Museum. Our library's collection has been further enriched with theme-based books donated by many of our teachers. These donations have greatly enhanced the quality of our collection.