Message from the Library Director
Message from the Library Director
A new AIU library opened in April, 2008. The two-story building is designed uniquely for the half coliseum structure with four-layer bookshelves and seats. Its tall main pillars and beams are made of Akita-sugi, or local high-quality cedar trees, to create relaxed and tranquil atmosphere inside the building. It also has spacious PC rooms and Language Development and Intercultural Studies Center (LDIC). AIU faculty and staff proudly believe it is to be a trophy building as a symbol of intellectual treasure box of AIU.
The library has several unique features; firstly for opening 24 hours all year round with no single holiday for all AIU members, secondly for opening 12 hours long on weekdays for the public. Students can easily enter the library through skywalk anytime from lecture building, cafeteria, and dormitories without being bothered by rain or snow. Its collection is also unique with over 41,000 books in English and over 17,000 books in Japanese. There are many English books on Japan and a wide variety of themes from natural science, social science and humanities including music and art under the collection policy of providing high-quality liberal art materials. It also has more than 2,000 DVDs and CDs of Hollywood movies and documentaries to let students and citizens enjoy and understand the issues directly through these audio-visual materials.
Michio Katsumata, Director of the Library,
Akita International University