As we walked through the entrance of the Central Library and turned to the right, a sign appeared: International Documents Room. We walked through the glass door, which is a little bit intimidating, and interviewed Ms. Yukari Suda, Associate Section Chief of the International Documents Room. She gave us an explanation and showed us around the room.

The International Documents Room opened in April 1995 to gather and archive resources of the European Info Centre, which was established in December 1979 (the name was changed to European Info (EUi) in October 2006), the UN Depository Library, which was established in June 1994, and other international organizations.

The European Info (EUi) was established by the European Commission and houses the body of official publications of the European Union, such as the Official Journal, Treaties, annual reports, monthly reports, statistical publications, etc, and informational materials on various policies, which are provided by the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities in Luxembourg.

Approximately 500 EUi exist around the world. In Japan, 19 EUi are located in universities. The International Documents Room at Chuo University was approved and designated one of them.

There are 14 UN Depository Libraries in Japan. Among them, 9 university libraries including Chuo University are approved as UN Depository Libraries. The UN Depository Library receives and collects documents and publications of the UN and makes them publicly available.

The International Documents Room at Chuo University has both the EUi and UN Depository Library. Only a few universities, including Tokyo University, Hokkaido University, Seinan Gakuin University, Nihon University, and University of the Ryukyus, have such resource centers. It is thus a very precious information center.

Currently, approximately 26,000 pieces of material in the stacks and on bookshelves are registered in the Chuo Online Information System (CHOIS). The Archive collects materials that are automatically sent from the UN and the EU almost every day as well as materials from other international organizations such as the World Bank (WB), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Furthermore, the Archive houses other materials that are not registered in CHOIS, including documents of the UN and conference materials/commission materials of the ILO. We were told that the materials of the WB and the IMF are among the most often used.

Not only students and researchers of Chuo University but also the general public can use the information room. A person can browse materials, make copies, and borrow up to 6 books (except for a few materials) for 15 days. The homepages of international organizations can also be browsed.

The reference service is also available to help find materials from various international organizations. If some sought after material is not available in the information room, "we may obtain a copy from other universities or advise the person to go to the organization that holds the material in need" (Ms. Suda).

Eight hundred fourteen people used the information room last year. It is a declining trend, compared to 1220 users in 2005. According to Ms. Suda, "a lot of original documents are now available directly from international organizations. So, the number of people who come all the way to this information room is declining."

In addition to providing materials from international organizations, the information room also hosts the EU quiz, an event that is part of the Japan/EU Friendship Week between May and June every year. EU original goods will be given to participants who answer an easy quiz. The use of the information room is being promoted through this kind of event.

The information room is open from 9:30 to 17:00 (9:30 to 12:00 on Saturdays). Be aware that these hours are different from the central library hours.

"Please consult with the staff if you are looking for statistics or documents. I cannot guarantee 100% that the information can be found, but we will do our best to help you look for the information," Ms. Suda said. "Please come to the information room, if you feel curious about the place after reading this article."

(Student Reporter: Yuta Ueda; 1st year student in the Graduate School of Letters)