Media Centers (Libraries)
The Media Centers (libraries) on the various campuses of the Keio system represent important information resources for students, faculty, and researchers. As a whole, they are considered to constitute one of the foremost academic information storehouses in the country. The combined libraries of the Keio Media Centers house more than 4.2 million books and publications. In October 2002, Keio University became the first East Asian institution to formally become a member of RLG (Research Libraries Group, Inc.). RLG Programs combined with OCLC in 2006, forming the largest non-profit organization devoted to the needs of libraries, archives and museums. RLG Programs has more than 140 partner institutions (OCLC Research Library Partnership Roster) around the world, including such institutions as Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, Sydney, and Melbourne Universities. At the Media Centers, OCLC’s comprehensive catalogue database (WorldCat) is used to construct the catalogue database for the Media Center library system (KOSMOS).
The Mita Media Center derives directly from the original Keio University library built in 1912 and expanded with a new building in 1982. A combined total of 2.3 million books makes this one of the best facilities of its kind in Japan.
The Hiyoshi Media Center is designed primarily as a library for the students at Hiyoshi Campus, who are mostly in their first and second years of study. It provides essential materials on all areas of the humanities and the social and natural sciences to students just embarking on their voyage of higher learning. It provides research materials on specific fields as well for three graduate courses which are located in Hiyoshi Campus.
This facility houses one of the top medical libraries in Japan, featuring databases and electronic journals. It remains open until late at night and on weekends.
Located in Yagami, this facility specializes in science and engineering materials, with an emphasis on advanced technological fields and network search services.
Opened in 1991, this facility functions as both a traditional library and a modern information processing center, with multimedia and PC stations connected to the Internet through a campus-wide LAN.
Keio University’s sixth Media Center, the “Information and Media Center for Pharmaceutical Sciences” was opened in April 2008 as a result of a merger with Kyoritsu University of Pharmacy. The center houses a wide range of resources in the fields of pharmacy and life sciences and is used not only by students and faculty, but also by alumni already engaged in the field.
