Library launches Japan Studies Librarianship Practicum

Uehiro Foundation gift makes new training program possible

Librarian and student assistant look at old newspaper in Japanese — Mitsutaka Nakamura, Japan Studies Librarian, discusses a cataloging project for the Takazawa collection with his student assistant, Hiroko Saito, who is a PhD candidate in American Studies. They are working in Hamilton Library’s special collections room for the Asia Collection.

UH Mānoa Hamilton Library received a generous donation from the Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education to start a new program for training subject librarians in the fields of Japanese and Asian studies.

The Uehiro Foundation stated: “Hamilton Library plays a central role in the intellectual life of the University of Hawaiʻi, and the Uehiro Foundation highly values its Japan Collection for contemporary and historical research. We look forward to seeing future leaders emerge from this program who will advance the library’s mission and continue the collection and digitization of Japanese historical materials.”

For more than two decades, the Uehiro Foundation has collaborated with UH through its support for the East-West Philosophers’ Conference; the UH Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education (home of Philosophy for Children Hawaiʻi) in the UH Mānoa College of Arts, Languages and Letters since 2012; and, most recently, the establishment of the Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography in 2022.

Librarian and student assistant stand in stacks looking at books

Based on the new agreement between the Uehiro Foundation and Hamilton Library, one library science master’s degree graduate will be hired each year over the next 10 years as a full-time (temporary) librarian faculty member for nine months. Mitsutaka Nakamura, Hamilton Library’s Japan Studies librarian, will supervise the chosen librarians and Tokiko Y. Bazzell, librarian emerita, will contribute to their training as an advisor. These appointments are designed to provide librarians the skills and experience to make them stronger applicants for Japanese and Asian studies librarian positions in academic libraries.

Hamilton Library’s Asia Collection has subject librarians who specialize in different regions, including the Russian Far East, China, Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Philippines, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. While the training is exclusively focused on the field of Japanese studies, trainees can also learn from the library’s diversified area specialists to broaden their experience and hone their skills in preparation for potential job interviews in any other institutions after this nine-month training.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Hamilton Library to make a lasting impact on the field of area studies librarianship, specifically Japanese studies,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro. “The study of Japanese has been part of UH Mānoa since the beginning, and our world-class Japan Collection is widely recognized. Bringing aspiring Japanese studies librarians here to Hamilton will be a game changer for librarians wanting to make a career and an impact in Japanese studies librarianship.”

UH vice president of advancement and UH Foundation CEO Tim Dolan highlighted the gift’s long-term significance: “The Uehiro Foundation’s visionary investment ensures that future generations of librarians will receive the training and mentorship they need to thrive in the field. This program not only strengthens UH Mānoa, but it also expands the pipeline of professionals advancing Japanese studies librarianship worldwide.”

Librarian and student assistant look at computer screen

For Nakamura, librarianship is his third career after working in the financial and film/TV industries. During his transition, it was challenging for him to find relevant internship opportunities, even as a volunteer. That experience motivated him to create similar opportunities for future librarians.

Although Nakamura is still relatively new to the academic library environment, he follows the advice from his librarianship mentor at Columbia University: “First you land the position. Then from day one, you should start training the new generation who will replace you in the future. Otherwise, your position will vanish after you leave.” Over the next decade, he looks forward to working with enthusiastic candidates to tackle the uncertainties in the field together.

An ALA-accredited master’s degree in library sciences or equivalent will be required for consideration for this program. Applicants with strong oral and written communication skills in Japanese and English, along with a determined career focus in Japanese or Asian Studies librarianship, are desired. The job opening will be announced in January/February 2026, and the inaugural appointment is scheduled to begin in July. For more information, please contact Mitsu Nakamura at japancol@hawaii.edu.