About LNP
The Librarian Network Program (LNP) is a collaborative initiative between the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) and the Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI).
As a stakeholder-led program, LNP is designed to build action-oriented professional networks between librarians in Greater China and the United States, supporting the development of East Asian librarianship. Its core objectives include establishing sustainable institutional partnerships, strengthening bilateral educational collaboration, promoting best practices in academic library services, and enhancing access to scholarly resources. Through these efforts, the program also contributes to broader U.S.–China engagement.
The inaugural LNP activity took place in summer 2025 as a two-week program across Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangzhou. Eighteen participants—including CEAL Fellows, self-funded members, and program organizers—engaged in professional forums, institutional visits, and collaborative workshops. These activities provided structured opportunities for knowledge exchange, exposure to emerging practices in preservation and digital library services, and direct engagement with collections, publishers, and library leadership.
Librarian Network Program (LNP) was established with the generous support of the Ju-Yen Teng (譚汝言) and Linnar Teng (JLT) Bequest. Ju-Yen Teng, a first-generation Chinese American, was a dedicated member of the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) and served as Chinese Cataloger at the University of Washington’s East Asian Library. The bequest reflects his intention to support efforts that strengthen U.S.–China relations, including initiatives that facilitate professional engagement and knowledge exchange. Read more about JLT efforts here
Librarian Network Program Goals and Objectives
Goals
To increase academic access to reliable information, strengthen institutional transparency and accountability, and expand cross-cultural educational exchange opportunities.
Objectives
Establish Sustainable Institutional Partnership
Develop and maintain a long-term collaborative agreement between CEAL and GKI that ensures continuity of U.S.-China academic exchanges in library science and East Asian studies beyond the initial project period.
Strengthen Bilateral Educational Collaboration
Increase the number and quality of educational exchanges between U.S. and Chinese academic institutions through joint research initiatives, knowledge-sharing programs, and innovative library service delivery models.
Promote Best Practices in Academic Library Services
Identify, document, and disseminate library practices and methodologies between U.S. and Chinese institutions to improve service delivery, collection management, and user engagement in East Asian studies programs.
Enhance Academic Resource Accessibility
Improve access to East Asian studies materials by establishing systematic exchange mechanisms for academic materials—books, journals, digital content—between participating institutions in both countries.
Expand
Cross-Border Research Opportunities
Create opportunities (e.g., structured platforms and programs) that facilitate collaborative research projects between U.S. and Chinese scholars.