Minutes of the general assembly of the EAJRS concluding the 19th conference of the EAJRS in Lisbon, 19 September 2008.
The chairman praises the general high quality of the presentations, their novel content, and/or their usefulness for the resource specialist and the researcher. He remarks that the Japanese language presentations are in the majority. He praises the efforts that many have made to prepare English-language summaries or power point slides, and encourages everyone to continue striving for bilingual presentations.
This year we welcomed a few new members from far-away places: Fabiano Rocha from Canada, and Hatta Ayako from Australia.
We hope that they will continue attending our conferences in the future as well. Eastern Europe remains a problem, while Korean, Taiwanese and Chinese participants would also be welcome.
1. Approval of the minutes of the 18th conference held in Rome, September 2007. No remarks or alterations are noted. The minutes are accepted as published in the Newsletter 16.
2. Venue of the 2009 conference: The Sainsbury Institute in Norwich volunteers to be the venue next year. Mr. Hirano, researcher at the said institute, gives a short presentation of the facilities and the profile of the institute. The general assembly unanimously agrees to hold next year’s conference in the proposed venue.
4. Next year’s timing: the third week of September, beginning on Wednesday 16 September and ending on Saturday 19 September.
Mr. Koyama will investigate the possibility of a guided visit to the Japanese/Oriental collection of Cambridge University Library.
5. Funding: the Japan Foundation has again extended financial support to this year’s conference. Persons in need of financial support are encouraged to write to the chairman or the secretary to apply for whole or partial funding. First-time participants, young resource specialists and researchers are particularly welcome to apply for support.
6. Publication of the abstracts and/or proceedings on the EAJRS portal site very soon. Participants are once again encouraged to send in an electronic copy of their presentation to Hans Coppens, who will publish it in the form the author sees fit, on the portal site.
7. Report by Izumi Tytler on:
a. The NACSIS Catalogue of Japanese Books in European Holdings.
b. The second Tenri Library workshop.
c. ??
8. Report from the secretary:
9. Resignation of Paul Wijsman as EAJRS secretary:
The chairman thanks Paul Wijsman for his six years’ long dedication to the association, and the excellent work he has done during that time. It was great to work together, and it is with great regret that we accept his resignation. Luckily, he will remains on the board of the association and will keep attending the future conferences.
The board proposes as his successor Dr. Laura Moretti, who is not present, but has agreed to succeed him. Her candidacy is accepted by general acclamation.
The chairman gives a few gifts as token of appreciation for Paul’s dedication and contributions.
10. The board:
The board consists of the following members: Antony Boussemart, Ursula Flache (succeeding Setsuko Kuwabara), Noboru Koyama, Dr. Laura Moretti, Hamish Todd, Izumi Tytler, Prof. dr W. Vande Walle, Paul Wijsman, Naomi Yabe Magnussen.
11. The chairman extends his gratitude to the staff of the Centro Cientifico e Cultural de Macao
Its director Prof. F. Barreto
Elisabetta Colla
Ennio Souza
Pedro Lage Reis Correia
Natalinu Fernandes, technician
Also thanks to Ms. Fatima Gomes of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal.
And the enthusiastic guide of the Ajuda Palace.
Thanks to Hans Coppens for his assistance with ICT matters and last but not least Paul Wijsman, secretary of the association.
Closing of the general assembly and the conference.
Afternoon: trip to Evora to visit the Library and archives.