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Korean and other languages. We are grateful that American Corner Opens at National we can continue to share his knowledge and Taichung Library expertise. National Taichung Library (NTL) inaugurated The full Chinese Text of this article is written by Teresa Wang Chang and published in The Bulletin of the Library the American Corner in Taichung on May 7 at the Association of China, No. 74, June 2005; pages 9-11. library’s Reference Room. The facility, the first of Chinese Text was condensed by Ms. Katie Su, Head of the its kind to be established by the American Institute Bureau of International Exchange and Ms. Shiow-Man Liao, in Taiwan (AIT), represents the beginning of a new Exchange Librarian, NCL Newsletter executive editor service model for public libraries in Taiwan. English translation by Mr. Kristian Kildall, NCL Newsletter English editor. According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Education, 14,054 Taiwanese students applied for U.S. visas in 2004, representing 45% of Events all U.S. visa applications processed in Taiwan; and in 2003, nearly 480,000 Taiwanese citizens visited “Public Library Joint Database” Education, the U.S., according to the Ministry of Foreign Training and Promotion Affairs. These figures underscore the pressing

Since 2004, readers in Taiwan have enjoyed demand in Taiwan for information on U.S. free access to over 30 database systems through education and culture. The American Corner helps the government-backed “Public Library Joint to meet this need by providing convenient access Database” program. In order to increase utilization of this resource, the NCL commissioned the Interlibrary Cooperation Association to organize courses for teachers and librarians on using the system. Between February 2004 and April 2005, the association arranged 50 such courses across Taiwan. A total of 1,624 people attended the courses, including 43 elementary school teachers, 225 middle and high school teachers, 934 librarians, and 27 others. Covering 13 subject areas, the 38 databases included in the system to date were selected from over 100 Chinese and Chen Chi-nan, Minister of Council for Cultural Affairs foreign language databases at the NCL according (center), Douglas H. Paal of the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, Taipei Office (right), and Taichung to their suitability for public library needs. Mayor Jason Hu at the grand opening ceremony. (Chinese text by Chung Hsueh-chen) (Photo by National Taichung Library) National Central Library 6

to information on the U.S., supported by the NTL’s invite U.S. novelists and cultural workers to ample facilities and central location. Taiwan to give presentations and foster closer The U.S. has established American Corners cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan. around the world in cooperation with organizations and government agencies in the host countries as a reference service for people interested in learning more about the United States. The first American Corner was established in Russia, and in Asia there are similar facilities in Thailand, Korea, and now Taiwan. One of the unwritten rules about American Corners is that they are always opened in cities without a U.S. embassy or representative office. Since AIT operates offices in Taiwan’s two major cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taichung The reading room at the American Corner became the top contender as site of the new (Photo by National Taichung Library) American Corner. The NTL was a perfect candidate due to its size, features, and operating National Taichung Library Opens Virtual concept, all of which closely matched the needs of Reference Service the center. Strong support and assistance from NTL director Hsueh Mao-sung and Taichung National Taichung Library (NTL) officially Mayor Jason Hu also helped seal the deal. launched its “Virtual Reference Service” website, The American Corner in Taichung is stocked providing a convenient and free channel for the with materials acquired directly from the U.S. by public to get reference help from library personnel. AIT, including publications on U.S. society, The new service is available from the “Reference English-language education and research, and U.S. Assistance” link on the library’s Chinese-language education and travel. The facility is also equipped website (www.ntl.gov.tw). The service also serves with computer terminals providing access to a as a cooperation mechanism, enabling readers at wealth of U.S.-related information, virtual participating public libraries to submit inquiries exhibitions, American art and music, and chat and staff at the participating libraries to work rooms for exchanges with experts in various U.S. together on responding to such inquiries. industries and fields. In a departure from past Through this cooperative model, participating practice, the American Corner will also provide a libraries can share reference resources and lot of “soft” cultural information, such as personnel to enhance the scope, operation hours, introductions to works by well-know U.S. timeliness, efficiency, and professional quality of novelists. In future, the American Corner plans to library reference services available to the public,