BiblioBios: Cecilia Zhang joins KU Libraries as Chinese Studies librarian

Cecilia Zhang is a librarian specializing in Chinese Studies books, databases and journals, supporting faculty members in their teaching and research.  

Zhang came to KU in August 2022 after earning her two master’s degrees in art history and information and her bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies, all at the University of Toronto. Before then, she lived in mainland China and then immigrated to Canada, where she finished the rest of her high school education.  

After working outside of academia for a short stint, Zhang wanted to utilize her language skills and knowledge in Chinese Studies material in a university setting and found that opportunity with KU Libraries, which has one of the biggest Chinese collections in the United States.  

“For East Asian Studies, there are not many opportunities,” Zhang said. “I’m really lucky to have had the chance to have come to KU. 

“I hope there are more people that know we have an East Asian Collection and we have a lot of resources here. Our East Asian Collection ranks pretty high – we’re pretty big, comparatively speaking. I hope people are aware of that, and I also hope people use our materials. Come to the library and ask for the librarian. We really can help you a lot.” 

When it comes to Zhang’s faculty work, she participates in lectures and creates quizzes and class content that teaches research methods. Zhang also takes reference requests about dissertations, books, journals and databases from faculty members or students. She also helps KU Libraries grow the East Asian collection by buying new books and adding material.  

Unlike centralized collections in other libraries Zhang has experienced, KU's East Asian collection is spread out in multiple libraries, including Watson Library, Murphy Art & Architecture Library and the Music and Dance Library. According to Zhang, this not only makes it easier to engage with the collection but also increases the difficulty for librarians trying to manage it.  

“This structure is interesting,” Zhang said. “In the East Asian Library in the University of Toronto, everything is in there. If you’re not interested in the East Asian Library, you won’t go to the library. Right here, if you study art, you will go to the Art and Architecture Library, where we offer some East Asian collections.” 

Zhang found a strong communication network at KU, particularly in the cluster of international collections librarians located on the fifth floor of Watson Library, which makes finding answers to questions easier and facilitates research and learning.  

“This communication, and this kind of network, is really good, especially for new librarians,” Zhang said. “You don’t want to just work in your own field; you can learn from others.” 

One of Zhang’s most recent projects has been curating the East Asian Collection Exhibit titled “In Search of Democracy,” an exploration of contemporary social movements in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The free exhibit in International Collections on Watson Library’s Fifth Floor, opened in January and is expected to run through the end of March.  

BiblioBios shine a light on the people behind the collections, programs and services in KU Libraries. Find your link to important information and resources by connecting with our faculty and staff through the KU Libraries Directory.