Institutes & Libraries

• Libraries
• Museum
• Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Property
• Organization for International Collaboration
• Center for Clinical Psychology
• Center for the History of Meiji University
• Lifelong Education
• Alumni Association
• Parent's Association
• Affiliated Junior High and High Schools

Libraries

The libraries of Meiji University play a central role in the educational and research activities of the University. These institutions systematically collect, maintain, and make available materials that are indispensable for the education and research activities of students and staff. The libraries of Meiji University are comprised of the main library at the Surugadai Campus, the Izumi Library for humanities and social science freshmen and sophomores at the Izumi Campus, and the Ikuta Library for students in the Schools of Science and Technology and Agriculture at the Ikuta Campus.

As of March 2004, the libraries contain approximately 2,050,000 books, 21,000 newspapers, journals, and other periodicals, as well as a collection of numerous materials on microfilm, microfiche, and CD-ROM. The library catalogue has been made into a database, and can be searched not only from terminals connected to the library computer, but also via the Internet.

In March 2001, the Central Library was completed and opened. The new library, comprising one ground floor and three basement floors, has a huge vaulted ceiling ranging from the basement to the ground floor, and a bright and open structure illuminated by natural lighting. In order to keep up with the network's academic information distribution environment that is expanding and spreading steadily, the library has a Multimedia Area equipped with computers hooked to the Internet and computers for searching CD-ROM materials. It is also equipped with about 640 information outlets; mobile information equipment can be used in most parts of the library.

The Izumi Library has a wide collection of text books for humanities and social science, most of which are placed in the Reading Room as "open access books" so that students can use the library as if they were looking at a book in a bookshop. The Ikuta Library has a large collection of natural science materials. Like the Central Library, both libraries are equipped with information devices to allow use of the Internet by the mobile information equipment via information outlets.

In recent years, the libraries have been enhancing their electronic library functions. For examples, there has been expansion in the use of subscription databases on the Internet and reading of academic papers and online journals via the network. Furthermore, the university’s rare book collections such as the Ashida Antique Book Collection comprising numerous old maps, the Japan Modern Literature Collection, and the information unique to the Meiji University library such as the library bulletin "Tosho no Fu" (Manual of Books), and the library newsletter are being digitized and one after the other displayed on the Internet.

The Meiji University libraries are also members of the Yamanote Line private university library consortium with the libraries of the seven major universities (Aoyama Gakuin University, Gakushuin University, Kokugakuin University, Toyo University, Hosei University, Meiji Gakuin University, and Rikkyo University), allowing mutual use of libraries including the loaning of books. This means that students are able to use the materials of eight libraries including the total 12 million books in all these universities, and students have access to a giant library in addition to the use of each library individually.

As part of regional cooperation, the Meiji University Library in March 2002 signed a mutual cooperation agreement with the Chiyoda Ward Library, allowing registered library users living in Chiyoda ward, in which the Surugadai Campus is located, free access to the Meiji University Library. Further, in July 2004, Meiji University’s Izumi Library was instrumental in the inauguration of the "Suginami Library Network". This is a similar mutual cooperation agreement between the Suginami Ward Library and the five universities located within Suginami Ward. Meiji University plans to consider various endeavors aiming at an even more open library.

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