The Depart of East Asian Languages and Literatures has set a number of goals for its majors, and some of them are directly related to study abroad. I expect that the East Asian Studies program would also endorse these goals.

Junior Year Abroad

Prior to their departure for Junior Year Abroad students should attend a workshop conducted by the Five College Library East Asian Specialist and interested faculty in which they will learn about conducting research in Japanese libraries. Students who have completed the workshop should be able to:

• Use online bookstores to locate needed materials and to understand how materials are shelved in the store.
• Locate research materials in both public and academic libraries through library catalogs.
• Navigate the library’s website to verify hours, the availability of the item, and rules about use by visitors.
• Read a street address and locate the place on a map.
• Construct a detailed travel plan using public transportation and locate inexpensive accommodation.
• Understand that copyright rules differ in the target country and that it may affect the student’s access to and use of information and resources.

Many of these we have covered in second year Japanese and Chinese language library assignments, but the workshop is an opportunity to reinforce the skills you have and to make sure that you know how to find the information you need while you are overseas.