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The Naming of Chang Kwang-Chih Memorial Library

Professor Chang Kwang-Chih, born in Beijing on April 15, 1931, whose native home according to the Chinese system of residence was Banqiao, Taiwan, returned to Taiwan at the age of 15. He graduated with a degree in Anthropology from National Taiwan University in 1954, and obtained a Ph.D. degree from Harvard University in 1960. He taught anthropology at Yale and Harvard Universities and was regarded as one of the leading scholars in the discipline of archaeological anthropology in the world. After an invitation by Yuan T. Lee, the president of Academia Sinica in 1994, Professor Chang returned to Taiwan to assume the post of Vice President of Academia Sinica. He resigned the position in 1996 due to health reasons and passed away in Boston on January 3, 2001.

In an article by Professor Chang published in the China Times in 1986, he wrote, "The Peinan Site in Taitung is very extensive and has a rich store of archaeological sites. Personally, I have proposed that a museum be built at the site, and hope that this will one day come true." Since the establishment of the NMP Planning Bureau in 1990, Professor Chang had built up great expectations. Until he passed away in 2001, he had served as a consultant for the Planning Bureau. Furthermore, in 1993, he completed the exhibit layout concept for the museum's second stage exhibition - "The Prehistory and the Early Periods of China".

As a tribute to the extraordinary contribution to archaeological research by Mr. Chang and his support and assistance to the NMP during his lifetime, the museum library was named "Chang Kwang-Chih Memorial Library".


The Objectives of the Library

This library has a full collection of books on well-considered topics. To support the main organization-The National Museum of Prehistory in ways of research, storage, exhibition, education and balanced development, as well as to provide comprehensive information, the library aims to develop into a research information center with features of academia, culture and education.


Subjects and Goals of Service

A. Subjects

The main subjects are the staff members and volunteers of the museum. The library also necessary service to non-staff who has research needs, participants of educational events held by the NMP, and visitors of the NMP.


B. Goals

1. To provide research information to the research staff of the NMP.
2. To provide professional information to the administrative staff of the NMP.
3. To provide specialized and general reference related to the exhibition themes.
4. To gather information that corresponds with the museum's goals.



Circulation Desk

The Circulation Desk provides services such as book check-out, return, and renew, as well as answer to general enquiries.


Stack Room

The library has book collection of nearly 18,000 types in Chinese, Spanish and Japanese. The Chinese and Japanese book catalog adopts the New Classification Scheme for Chinese Libraries 7th Ed., with the author codes defined by the combination of the first and last character in 5-stroke input method. The Spanish book catalog is done according to the Library of Congress Classification.


Reference Materials

This area provides all sorts of reference and tool books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, abstracts, yearbooks, guides, handbooks, statistical information and law collections, and they are only for use inside the library. There are also atlases and printing facilities.


Audio-Video Materials

This area stores audio-video information such as videotapes, audiotapes, CDs, and VCDs. In addition, there are also audio-video watch/listen booths inside the library. The "Music Materials of the Indigenous Peoples in Taiwan" is the main feature of the library collection.


Journal Resources

This area stores "Core Journals", "Journals of Associated Organizations" and "Journals of Further Education and Recreation".


Reading Area

This area provides a space for visitors to read books or newspapers, or for the museum staff to carry out group discussions.


Resource Search

This area has search terminals allowing the visitors to search for museum resources, digital storage information or online resource.