In May the University Library will start with the renovation of the open stack area in preparation of the building of The Asian Library. Meanwhile the Van Steenis Building, housing the new repository with a volume of approximately 37 km, will be prepared for the moving in of material of the University Library.
In October 2014, Leiden University unveiled plans for a new Asian Library scheduled to open its doors in 2017. The Asian Library will not only house various existing and world-renowned Asian collections, it will also be a focal point for study, research and encounters between people
with a profound interest in Asia, and its position in the world. Advanced plans exist to make its collections widely available through intensive digitisation programmes and the inclusion of born-digital information.
> Article: ‘Leiden University unveils plans for The Asian Library’
Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Rob Swartbol poses together with Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Indroyono Soesilo in Jakarta recently. The two discussed ways to further increase maritime cooperation programs. Swartbol informed the minister of the establishment of the Asian Library at Leiden University, Netherlans, which hosts archives on Indonesian maritime culture, history and arts.
A new boost for Asian studies thanks to cooperation between the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and Leiden University Libraries on the international ICAS Book Prize.
The Asian Library at Leiden University Libraries will be sponsoring the next three editions, between 2015-2019, of the ICAS Book Prize (IBP) of the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS). In return, ICAS and IIAS agree to hand over the book collections of the previous five and the upcoming sixth ICAS Book Prizes to The Asian Library. These include some 600 studies of the past ten years in the broad field of Asian studies in the social sciences and humanities. Leiden University Libraries will present at least the current edition of the Book Prize in the library.
The collections of Leiden University Libraries grow considerably. On the second floor an extra wing will be built for the new Asian Library. The Asian collection of the Leiden University Library has grown immensely since last year.
> Article: ‘Aziatische vleugel bij UB Leiden. Eén van de grootste Azië-collecties wereldwijd’
Since this week the largest research library for Indonesia is situated in Leiden. Anything from unique hand-drawn maps to ancient manuscripts and the latest publications can be found at Leiden University. This has been made possible by joining together three famous collections.