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Collections

Reference Desk and interior of the East Asian Library.

The East Asian Library has over 172,023 volumes of books and bound serials, including 106,940 volumes in Chinese, 60,052 volumes in Japanese, and 5,031 volumes in Korean. The East Asian Library also houses 410 CD-ROMs, 3,350 microfiches, and 1,760 reels of microfilm materials, complemented by a broad range of electronic resources.

Monograph and serial holdings are consistent with emphases within graduate East Asian studies programs of instruction and faculty research interests. The collection is primarily divided into two major geographical areas—China and Japan—and into roughly two time periods—classical and contemporary. Special strengths are in the languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, and art history fields. Currently, about 24,000 volumes of back runs of periodicals and other lower-use materials are shelved in the West Campus Library.

The East Asian Library’s Special Collections includes about 900 volumes of rare and special books, manuscripts, and other materials.

WashU Libraries also have extensive holdings about East Asia in English and other Western languages, mainly in the Olin Library.

Two online catalogs are available: the Classic Catalog and Quick Search. Records for Chinese/Japanese/Korean (CJK) materials are displayed in vernacular and transliterated forms.

The following three links are to romanization guides:

The East Asian Library uses the Library of Congress classification system except for some materials acquired before 1969, which use the Harvard-Yenching classification system.

Faculty Course Reserves Request

Want to reserve a book for your class? Need assistance setting up an electronic reserve? Learn more about placing items on reserve.

Recommend a Purchase

If there is a book or item you think should be added to our collections, fill out our Recommend a Purchase form.

Collection Locations

Call number/collectionLocation
A-DS 721Level 3
DS 721 – PL 699Level 2
PL 700 – PL 5321Level 1
PN – PZLevel 2
Q – ZBasement
Big monographic sets (A)Reading Room
Big monographic sets (B)Basement
Big monographic sets (DS)Reading Room, Basement
Big monographic sets (PL)Reading Room
Current newspapers and journalsReading Room
Japanese Popular LiteratureReading Room
Journals A-ZLevel 3
MicrofilmsLevel 1
Oversized books (A-M, PN, Q-V)Level 2
Oversized books (N, PL)Level 1
Oversized books (Z)Basement
Reference CollectionReading Room
Special CollectionsLevel 2 (Appointment Only)

Microform Collections at the East Asian Library

All are located in the East Asian Library and can be found at the call numbers below.

Call NumberTitleYear
Mic
HC426
C35		Jing ji shi(Ren da fu yin bao kan zi liao)
经济史		1978-1989
Mic
DS753
M54		Ming Qing shi(Ren da fu yin bao kan zi)
明清史		1984-1989
Mic
PL2261
C43		Zhongguo gu dai jin dai wen xue yan jiu (Ren da fu yin bao kan zi liao)
中国古代近代文学研究		1978-1985 ; 1989
Mic
PL2250
C612		Zhongguo xian dai dang dai wen xue yan jiu (Ren da fu yin bao kan zi liao)
中国现代当代文学研究		1978-1989
Mic
DS773.83
C5		Zhongguo xian dai shi (Ren da fu yin bao kan zi liao)
中国现代史		1978-1987 ; 1989
Mic
Q4
K56		Ke xue
科学		1915-1937
Mic
AP95 .C4
X8		Xue heng
学衡		1922-1933
Mic
PL700
B882		Bunsho sekai
文章世界		no. 1-719
(1906-1920)
Mic
PL700
B882		Shin bungaku
新文學		no. 720-761
(1921)
LocationTitleYear
EA,MicMin li bao 民立報1910/10-1913/9 (上海)
EA,MicJie fang ri bao (Yan’an)
解放日報		1941/5-1947/2
EA,MicZhong yang ri bao = Central Daily
中央日報		1932/11-1937/11 (南京)
1938/9-1942/12 ( 重慶)
1928/2-1928/9 (上海)
1945/8-1949/4 (上海)
1950/10-1983/12 (台北)
EA,MicRen min ri bao = People’s Daily
人民日報
(Library also has 1990/7- in bound volumes “人民日報縮印合訂本” (AP95 C4 J43)		1950/1-1990/12
EA,MicDa gong bao 大公報1929/11-1937/7 ( 天津)
1945/12-1956/12 ( 天津)
1938/8-1941/12 (香港)
1948/5-1964/12 (香港)
1937/8-1937/12 (上海)
1945/11-1947/4; 1947/9-1952/12 (上海)
1941/8-1946/12 ( 重慶)
1957/1-1966/8 (北京)
EA,Spec210Kindai Nihon guntai kankei zasshi shusei
近代日本軍隊關係雜誌集成		1876-1945 (309 reels):Naigai heiji shinbun 内外兵事新聞 (1876-1884)Getsuyōkai kiji 月曜会記事 (1888-1889)Hoshu shinron 保守新論 (1889-1890)Kaikōsha kiji 偕行社記事 (1888-1945; includes 臨時, 臨時増刊, 附錄, 特報, 特号)Kaigun zasshi 海軍雑誌 (1883-1888)Suikō zasshi 水交雑誌 (1887-1890)Suikōsha kiji 水交社記事 (1891-1944)
EA,MicOther journals and books
EA,NCL MicChinese rare books collection (National Central Library, Taiwan)

East Asian Floor Maps

Floor map for the Reading Room area of the East Asian Library. The Reading Room holds the reference collections, study areas, public computers, and the circulation desk, among other items.

Reading Room, Group Study Room, & Offices

  • Reference collection
  • Japanese pop literature
  • Current newspapers and journals
  • Big monographic sets (Call number A, DS, P-PL)
  • Computers Printer/Copier and Scanners
  • Offices
  • Group Study Room
  • Study area
Floor map for Level 1 of the East Asian Library. The Level 1 holds micro film, bookshelves for PL, and oversize shelves for N, PL, and folio.
Select the map to view the image larger.

Level 1

  • Books, call numbers PL 700 – PL 5321
  • Oversized books, call numbers N, PL
  • Microfilms
Floor map for Level 2 of the East Asian Library. The Level 2 holds bookshelves DS-N, P-PL, PN-PZ, and oversized ranges A-M, PN, and Q-V.
Select the map to view the image larger.

Level 2

  • Books, call numbers DS 721 – PL 700, PN-PZ
  • Oversized books, call numbers A-M, PN, Q-V
  • Special collections (ask staff for access)
Floor map for Level 3 of the East Asian Library. The Level 3 holds books A-DS along with Journals A-Z.
Select the map to view the image larger.

Level 3

  • Books, call numbers A – DS 721
  • Journals, call numbers A-Z
Floor map for the basement level of the East Asian Library. The basement holds bookshelves Q-Z.
Select the map to view the image larger.

Basement

  • Books, call number Z
  • Big monographic sets (B, DS)
  • Iwanami Bunko 岩波文庫 collection (ask staff for assistance)