193
33
and closure of other libraries in and around Shanghai, including those of Jinling, St. John's, the University of Shanghai, and the University of Soochow, “Everything is being done to assist those who use the Library and to make them as comfortable as possible”, it was reported. The number of people using the library in 1938 was 5,702. Two years later library visitors numbered 9,679, and donations of books also increased, perhaps in part because people were leaving Shanghai unable to take their books with them.34 In 1939 the International Institute of China moved its collection of 3,000 Western language books and 1,000 Chinese language books into the society's library, thus swelling the collection to 12,677 titles, or up to about four-fold on the previous twenty years.
35
There were no more reports of any kind, nor any journals issued, until 1946, and that one skipped only lightly over what had happened to the library during the years of Japanese occupation. A Dr. Kurt Schwartz was thanked:
for all the good work he has done for us not only in 1946 but throughout the war years, also Mr. T. Y. Chao who is in daily attendance upon all those using our books. Mr. Chao and the Chinese staff kept faithful record of everything during the war. Their loyalty and devotion is worthy of special recognition,
16
In his report Dr. Schwartz stated that many books from other institutions had been added to the Society's library during the occupation, and that some of these were now being returned to their rightful owners. However, where this was impossible, as in the case of the library which had belonged to the now defunct Far Eastern Review, these materials were being catalogued into the Society's collections. Some books had been received from Japanese being repatriated from Shanghai, and it was reported that a large number of journals which had been removed from the library during the war had been found in Tokyo, and that negotiations were underway to secure their return. Overall the effect of the war on the library had been beneficial in terms of collection, if not in terms of use. "We can . . . state now that the library has survived the war not only without loss (provided the whole collection of periodicals has been recovered in Japan) but has gained a not inconsiderable number of
193
33
and closure of other libraries in and around Shanghai, including those of Jinling, St. John's, the University of Shanghai, and the University of Soochow, “Everything is being done to assist those who use the Library and to make them as comfortable as possible", it was reported. The number of people using the library in 1938 was 5,702. Two years later library visitors numbered 9,679, and donations of books also increased, perhaps in part because people were leaving Shanghai unable to take their books with them.34 In 1939 the International Institute of China moved its collection of 3,000 Western language books and 1,000 Chinese language books into the society's library, thus swelling the collection to 12,677 titles, or up to about four-fold on the previous twenty years.
35
There were no more reports of any kind, nor any journals issued, until 1946, and that one skipped only lightly over what had happened to the library during the years of Japanese occupation. A Dr. Kurt Schwartz was thanked:
for all the good work he has done for us not only in 1946 but throughout the war years, also Mr. T. Y. Chao who is in daily attendance upon all those using our books. Mr. Chao and the Chinese staff kept faithful record of everything during the war. Their loyalty and devotion is worthy of special recognition,
16
In his report Dr. Schwartz stated that many books from other institutions had been added to the Society's library during the occupation, and that some of these were now being returned to their rightful owners. However, where this was impossible, as in the case of the library which had belonged to the now defunct Far Eastern Review, these materials were being catalogued into the Society's collections. Some books had been received from Japanese being repatriated from Shanghai, and it was reported that a large number of journals which had been removed from the library during the war had been found in Tokyo, and that negotiations were underway to secure their return. Overall the effect of the war on the library had been beneficial in terms of collection, if not in terms of use. "We can . . . state now that the library has survived the war not only without loss (provided the whole collection of periodicals has been recovered in Japan) but has gained a not inconsiderable number of
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