2005/04/01
Published in "Juku" No. 246, 2005
In pre-war Japan, there were no opportunities or places to study librarianship academically.
To put it bluntly, libraries at the time were considered mere storehouses for books, and librarians were seen as their custodians. There was no room for academic inquiry.
It was the United States that brought the new academic field of library science to such a country.
And the hub for this became the "School of Library and Information Science" established at Keio University.
"The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa" Leads to Japan's First School of Library and Information Science
After the end of World War II, the U.S. forces stationed in Japan promoted academic development plans for the country, which had re-emerged as a democratic nation, through the Civil Information and Education Section (CIE). Part of this was a joint project by the American Library Association and the Department of Defense to establish and support a school of library science at a Japanese university. Until then, Japan had no academic field of library science, which includes research on user services and educational roles, let alone an educational institution for the professional training of librarians. The immediate challenge for the American side was deciding at which university to launch this entirely new academic field.
In 1950, Professor Robert B. Downs, Director of the University of Illinois Library and Library School, came to Japan as chairman of the committee for the establishment of the "Japan Library School" to inspect the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Waseda University, and Keio University, which were considered candidates for the new school. President Kōji Ushioda (at the time), who welcomed Professor Downs to Keio, first explained the distinction between national and private universities in Japan, emphasizing that "the new school could best demonstrate its unique characteristics at a private university." However, he also added that Keio University, having suffered extensive damage from the war, could only offer "two classrooms," and it seems he privately thought that the chances of Keio being chosen were slim.
The following year, Professor Robert L. Gitler, Director of the University of Washington School of Librarianship, came to Japan as the first director of the Japan Library School. After conducting another thorough investigation and careful consideration for the establishment of the school, it was decided that the School of Library and Information Science would be established at Keio University.
In fact, Mr. Gitler had obtained a copy of "The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa," translated into English by Eiichi Kiyooka, a professor in the Faculty of Law (at the time) who was serving as Keio University's Director of Foreign Affairs. He was deeply impressed by the spirit of Yukichi Fukuzawa, which he learned about through the book, and the significant role Fukuzawa played in Japan's modernization. This became a major factor in the decision to establish the school at Keio. Across time and borders, the words of Yukichi Fukuzawa struck a chord, leading to the founding of library science, a new field of "jitsugaku (science)" in Japan. Professor Emeritus Kiyooka (the late) recalled at the time, "In the end, the spiritual character of Juku was valued more highly than its material shortcomings."
Learning a New Academic Field—Library Science—in a New Style
The preparation period leading up to the opening of the School of Library and Information Science was extremely short. The efforts of Professor Gitler and the university authorities continued with tasks such as establishing regulations, applying for accreditation, recruiting students, conducting entrance exams, and preparing facilities, finally culminating in the opening of the School of Library and Information Science in the Faculty of Letters in April 1951. Although it was externally known as the "Japan Library School (JLS)," it was, in fact, a new department added to the Faculty of Letters at Keio University. Normally, it would have recruited first-year students like other departments, but due to the special circumstances of its establishment, it recruited students for the third year in its inaugural year. It had an unconventional start, with students completing specialized courses in one year and studying related subjects in their fourth year. The students admitted at this time included those with part-time library experience and current librarians, and they were diverse in age and background. Furthermore, all lectures, except for those related to Japanese and Chinese books, were taught by American faculty members invited from institutions such as Columbia University and the Library of Congress. Of course, classes were conducted in English, so in addition to the instructors, there were also Japanese interpreters in the classrooms. Teaching materials were printed in both Japanese and English, and it is said that dozens of interpreters and translators were constantly busy.
It seems that not only the content of the new academic field of "library science" but also the American style of education felt very novel to people at the time. The aforementioned late Professor Emeritus Kiyooka wrote the following about his impressions of the education at the school:
"Instead of relying solely on lectures, many problems were presented to encourage students to conduct their own research. The homework was plentiful... which in turn stimulated their spirit of inquiry. The teachers were serious, and so were the students... and lively discussions took place in the classroom." Furthermore, "At Christmas, the students initiated a grand tea party, made a Christmas tree, and had Professor Gitler dress up as Santa Claus in a red kimono. It was a cheerful gathering with songs and games, unlike anything seen elsewhere. I believe this alone could serve as a model for the Japanese educational world" ("Mita-hyoron (official monthly journal published by Keio University Press)," No. 552 / February 1952 issue).
Also, during the summer vacation, all students underwent about a month of practical training at libraries established by the CIE in various locations, under the guidance of American librarians. Meanwhile, on the Mita Campus, which was empty of students, workshops were held for directors and staff of public libraries from all over the country, sponsored by the Ministry of Education (at the time).
First Director, Professor Gitler: A Great Benefactor to the Japanese Library World
About a year after the school opened, a peace treaty was signed between Japan and the United States. This event, a major step forward for the nation, led to a crisis for the survival of the School of Library and Information Science at Keio. After the occupation policy ended and the stationed forces withdrew, Keio University would have to cover all the salaries of the school's faculty, which had previously been paid by the American side. This was a major problem for Keio, which was in financial difficulty at the time.
Therefore, Dr. Gitler and Keio University requested assistance from the Rockefeller Foundation, which was engaged in post-war economic reconstruction in various countries around the world. During the five years of assistance from the foundation, a system was established to enable Keio University to run the school on its own, with American faculty members being successively replaced by Japanese faculty. In 1956, Director Gitler, the last remaining American faculty member, finally entrusted his position to his successor, Professor Takashi Hashimoto, and returned to the United States. Professor Gitler had initially come to Japan on a one-year leave from the University of Washington, but he extended his stay, even giving up his position as Director of the School of Librarianship there, to devote himself to the School of Library and Information Science at Keio. In gratitude for his immense dedication, Keio University awarded him an honorary doctorate upon his departure from Japan. Professor Gitler continued to visit Japan frequently thereafter, providing considerable support for education at Keio and for the Japanese library world. His students went on to become leading librarians in various places, becoming the driving force behind the development of Japan's library world.
In fiscal year 2004, Keio University established a master's program, the "Information Resource Management Field," for professionals such as librarians. As a pioneer of library science in Japan, it began a new challenge to break new ground in librarian education for the advanced information age. As if to witness this, Robert L. Gitler passed away in Oakland, California, on October 8 of the same year. He was 95 years old. It is said that his will included a passage stating his wish to donate a portion of his estate to Keio University. In addition, the Gitler Scholarship, which recognizes students of the School of Library and Information Science (now a major) with outstanding academic records and character, continues to this day. The achievements of Mr. Gitler, who laid the foundation for the School of Library and Information Science at Keio, a pioneer in Japanese libraries, are something for which not only the Keio Gijuku Shachu but all Japanese people should be deeply grateful.