Join us for the opening reception for the library’s newest exhibition, “Scattered Leaves: East Asian Rare Books Across Borders, Regions and Cultures” and to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Asian Library! Enjoy an inspirational guest lecture from Dr. Peter X. Zhou, former Assistant University Librarian and Director Emeritus of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library, University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Zhou will be speaking on “East Asian Collections in the West: Bridging Civilizations and Fostering Cultural Convergence.” Following the talk, participants will have an opportunity to browse the exhibition which for the first time brings together the extraordinary collections highlighting traditional printing and manuscript cultures in East Asia. Refreshments will be served.

About Dr. Peter Zhou’s Talk

This talk will trace the historical dissemination of East Asian books across Europe and North America in the past centuries, with a particular focus on Chinese books. It will explore the pivotal role these collections have played in fostering cross-cultural exchange, bridging civilizations, and advancing the academic study of East Asia. Following this historical overview, the talk will then analyze the current state of East Asian collections in North American research libraries, highlighting the transformative changes these institutions are undergoing. This talk will highlight emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in collection development, digital access, AI, and scholarly engagement.

About Peter Zhou

Dr. Peter Zhou is the Director Emeritus of C.V. Starr East Asian Library at UC Berkeley. From 2000 to 2025, he served as the Director of this library and Assistant University Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the former president of Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL). An author or editor of many scholarly books and numerous articles, Dr. Zhou has written and spoken widely on East Asian librarianship, digital humanities, Chinese historical texts, and global information services. He is the editor of Collecting Asia: East Asian Libraries in North America, 1868-2008, the first English monograph tracing the history of the East Asian Libraries in North America. His recent book titled The Convergence of Civilizations was published in China. It discusses the diverse cultures and civilizations that East Asian libraries and collections in North America represent. Dr. Zhou holds a PhD in Linguistics, an MS in Library and Information Science both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MA in English from Wuhan University.

About the Asian Library

Established in 1936 through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Asian Library at The Claremont Colleges Library (formerly known as the Oriental Library) is the earliest of its kind among all liberal arts colleges in the United States. Building on a legacy of nine decades, the Asian Library houses rich collections of East Asian resources spanning the 10th century to the present day, supporting teaching, learning, and research across the Claremont campuses and beyond. For more information about the Asian Library's rare book collections, visit the Asian Library Special Collections.

Special Thanks

This event is co-sponsored by the Asian Studies Program at Pomona College, and the Department of Asian Languages and Literatures, Pomona College. The Claremont Colleges Library thanks the many people and organizations who have supported the Asian Library over the years, including Dr. Christopher Rand, Mr.& Mrs. Peter and Linda Yao, Mr. Abe Lillard, Ms. Julia Kalmus, Dr. Ping Sheng, Ms. Sue Sheng, Mrs. Yun-Lan Wong, Mrs. Maureen Carter, Mrs. June O’Leary, and Ms. Rosemary Choate.

Questions?

Contact Xiuying Zou, Head of the Asian Library, by emailing xiuying.zou@claremont.edu or calling 909-607-4094.