MADISON — The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) at the University of Wisconsin—Madison is pleased to announce the winners of the recent “East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program” competition. Grants have been awarded to public libraries throughout Wisconsin, enriching their collections with new titles that will enable patrons to deepen their understanding of East Asia (which includes China, Japan, and Korea). Over $12,000 in funding will be distributed to 14 libraries, representing 9 of the state’s 14 library systems.
This is the fourth year of the competition.
“We have now awarded exactly 100 grants to Wisconsin libraries since the program started in 2020,” said Laurie Dennis, assistant director for CEAS. “Last year’s awardees used their funds to purchase over 600 items and hold numerous book clubs and programs, all about East Asia. Each competition round is so different – for 2023, cookbooks and manga were the hot items. I look forward to seeing what libraries will want to do in 2024.”
The new cycle will continue a project spearheaded by the Winding Rivers Library system to add more e-books and audio books on East Asia to the increasingly popular Wisconsin Digital Library.
Winning proposals came from the following libraries:
- Amery Area Public Library, Amery
- Appleton Public Library, Appleton
- Butler Public Library, Butler
- Columbus Public Library, Columbus
- Independence Public Library, purchasing for the statewide Wisconsin Digital Library
- Kaukauna Public Library, Kaukauna
- Kenosha Public Library, Kenosha
- Lake Geneva Public Library, Lake Geneva
- McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua
- Menomonee Falls Public Library, Menomonee Falls
- Muehl Public Library, Seymour
- Rusk County Community Library, Ladysmith
- Soldiers Grove Public Library, Soldiers Grove
- J. Niederkorn Library, Port Washington
CEAS once again partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Library Association, and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center to plan and promote the program. Applicants were encouraged to use a list comprised of hundreds of materials curated by UW–Madison faculty with titles about China, Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea and Japan.
The East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program is partially funded by a Title VI grant from the US Department of Education. The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) is the focal point connecting East Asia to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. One of the UW–Madison’s eight federally funded National Resource Centers, CEAS is dedicated to all aspects of research, education and outreach related to China, Japan, and Korea.