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Dissertation Information for Kuang-Pei Tu

NAME:
- Kuang-Pei Tu

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of California, Los Angeles (USA) (1996)

ADVISORS:
- John V. Richardson Jr.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Mary Niles Maack
- Michele Valerie Cloonan
- Benjamin A. Elman
- Don Toshiaki Nakanishi

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: Transformation and dissemination of Western knowledge and values: The shaping of library services in early twentieth century China

Abstract: The appearance of Western knowledge and values in China during the nineteenth century had a profound effect on China's intellectual, social and political development. As China began its mass education movement with vernacular literature, libraries took on the responsibility of educating and serving the newly educated public. The present study looks at the development of modern Chinese libraries during the period 1898 to 1947, using Everett Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory as the logical framework.

Cang Shu Lou (book storage buildings) collected and preserved intellectual treasures of imperial China while serving only emperors or high ranking officials. As Chinese reformers sought to bring wealth and power back to China in the nineteenth century, modern libraries, offering information to the general public, became an innovation China decided to adopt into her society. Reformers of the nineteenth century China, who were well-versed in Confucianism, began to disseminate knowledge of modern libraries during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. During the persuasion stage (1900-1910), the Qing government issued an official Library Regulation in 1909 which resulted in the establishment of 21 academic and provincial libraries before 1911. During the decision stage (1911-1925), two Americans and eight Chinese, who received professional library training in the United States, joined the workforce to promote the modern library development. Professional library education became available in 1920 with the establishment of the Boone Library School in Wuchang, Hubei. When the implementation began (1926-1937), more libraries and diverse library services became available to the urban as well as rural population. Low budget circulating stations, newspaper reading rooms, lecture halls libraries were available at street corners nationwide. Confirmation of the modernization of Chinese libraries (1938-1949) was viewed as the country's continued effort to rebuild destroyed buildings, and replace damaged collections while the World War II was going on. Though the development of modern libraries in China in the first half of the twentieth century followed an American influence, the most significant contribution came from the Chinese librarians who devoted their professional enthusiasm to making necessary adjustments and modifications which successfully transformed western library practices into a Chinese institution.

MPACT Scores for Kuang-Pei Tu

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:14:54

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