Digital Collections

Since its first project in 2004 to digitize collections of Toronto Korean-language newspapers, the East Asian Library has continued to develop its collections and provide the University of Toronto community with access to digital resources on East Asian Studies and Asian Canadian Studies.

embroidered cover of Gendai tanka shu, viewable in the Internet ArchiveInternet Archive

The East Asian Library collection on the Internet Archive began in 2005, with 6 significant Chinese titles published in or before 1923 that were digitized at the University of Toronto and shared through the Internet Archive. Since then, the East Asian Library has made over 5,000 titles published in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese from the 1100s to the 1900s freely available online via the Internet Archive.

First page of Cao zi hui, vol. 2, containing translations between printed and cursive Chinese script, viewable in the Internet ArchiveInternet Archive - Rare Books Collection

In 2014, the East Asian Library received funding from the National Central Library of Taiwan for an international collaboration on a digitization project. The project consisted of 227 titles and 2,097 physical volumes of Chinese rare books from our Mu Collection, and included Song, Ming and Qing Dynasty editions. With support from the University of Toronto Libraries Office of the Chief Librarian, in 2021, a further 296 rare books were digitized and uploaded, with many items included from the East Asian Library's Mu Collection.

Cover of a pamphlet for a Korean court music and dance program sponsored by the Foundation for the Support of Korean Studies at the University of Toronto, viewable in the Korean Canadian Heritage ArchivesKorean Canadian Heritage Archives

A nationwide online searchable database, the Korean Canadian Heritage Archives Project was developed in collaboration with the University of British Columbia Asian Library to provide access to information about resources relating to Korean Canadian history and culture. Select materials that are described in the database have also been digitized, with permissions from copyright holders.

Page 9 of Issue 822 of The Minjoong Shinmoon, published 1990-01-26Toronto Korean-Language Newspapers

Two newspaper collections in the East Asian Library holdings were digitized in 2004 as part of a National Institute of Korean History project from 2001-2006. The Minjoong Shinmoon and The New Korea Times newspapers provide important information on the evolution of Korean politics in North and South Korea and the development of Toronto's Korean immigrant community.

6 thumbnails (3 rows by 2 columns) of photographs included in the North Korean Photograph Collection, as presented in the East Asian Library's brochure, How to use the North Korean Photograph CollectionThe North Korean Photograph Collection 🔑 (UTORid is required)

Donated in 2002, the North Korean Photograph Collection of 153 oversized print photographs was digitized by the East Asian Library from 2005-2008. Items are organized into 8 thematic sets and the full extent of the collection is described in our online finding aid. Due to copyright restrictions, an active UTORid is required to view the collection in FADIS.

Archived homepage of the National Association of Japanese Canadians captured on 14:23:53 May 08, 2020, accessible via Archive-ItArchive-It: COVID-19 in Ontario

The University of Toronto Libraries has created a web archive of over 1,500 websites as primary source materials for future research and study of local experiences and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto. The East Asian Library contributed to locating websites and pages relating to Asian Canadian community actions.

 

Internet Archive collection for the East Asian Library Newsletter, published by the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian LibraryInternet Archive – East Asian Library Newsletter

In September 2000, the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library published its first newsletter to share news about library services, resources and programming with the University of Toronto community and external community. The Library has published newsletters online and in print since. With support from the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services, this collection of library communications is now available for online access in the Internet Archive. The collection on the Internet Archive will be updated every two years.