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.

Internet 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.

Internet 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.

Internet Archive - World Journal Toronto (多倫多世界日報) Community Section  The East Asian Library digitized the community section of the World Journal Toronto (1980-2015) between 2023 and 2026. The collection includes 67,108 pages from 11,808 issues and is now freely accessible online via the Internet Archive. A Pan-Blue Taiwanese broadsheet, The World Journal is the largest Chinese-language newspaper in the U.S. and one of the largest outside Greater China. Founded in 1976 in New York and San Francisco by Mr. Wang Tiwu, founder of Taiwan's United Daily News, it has branches across major North American cities. The World Journal Toronto and Vancouver editions have since ceased publication. From its first publication in February 1976, the Toronto edition operated through a local distribution agent. By 1980, staff prepared wire reports on major news in eastern Canada, focusing on international, economic, political, and Chinese community news from Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China, and Southeast Asia. Newspapers were transported daily from New York. In November 1988, the Toronto edition moved to 415 Eastern Avenue and introduced colour printing. Initially delivered by airmail or retail, the newspaper launched a unique "household special delivery" service in 1990. To engage new immigrants, the reader service group sponsored community activities, including Lantern Festival riddles, paper mazes, fishing contests, sports meets, book fairs, and various ball games.

Korean 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.

Toronto 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.

The 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.

Archive-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 – 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.