Study On Modern Chinese Church University Library (1868-1952)

Church University Libraries (CUL) began with the western missionaries who cameto China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The western missionaries set up largenumber of new style library with advanced level in some churches and churchuniversities. Breaking the old rules and traditions with thousand—year history, theyregarded library as an important culture agency to enlighten people's wisdom and socialcause to serve people. From then on, they opened the process of Chinese librariesturning to modern libraries. The thesis takes 13 CUL which were founded by ChristianBoard and Christian missionaries as research object, including: Yanching University,Cheeloo University,University of Nanking,Ginling College,SoochowUniversity,St. Johns' university,University of Shanghai,Hanchow ChristianCollege,Central China University,West China Union University,FujianChristian University,Hwa Nan College and Lingnan University。Time frame of theresearch is from the end of 19th to the beginning of 1950s. In the thesis, the authorcompares the beginning,development,collection,technology,circulation,organizations,building style,use of funds,experts' life contributions betweenChurch College Library and non—Church College Library, analyses the research statusand information collection. Through these, the author shows CUL' social and culturalexchange significance and its historical role in the process of library cause. Thefounding and development of Chinese CUL brought the western library theory,management, and technology etc., promoted the reformation and evolvement oftraditional service idea and played an enlightening and sample role; As an importantchannel of western culture's dissemination to the eastern, CUL played a special role inculture communication between China and the western. Being an important part ofmodern Chinese library cause, CUL were also the birthplace of library scienceeducation, because it cultivated a large number of library professionals and promoted theprosperity of modern Chinese library cause.