The calligraphy connections project: Engaged scholarship of historical East Asian texts

Abstract

The information landscape and research habits of university students have changed in recent years as a result of the proliferation of free and easily accessible information via the internet. As such, the duties and roles performed by academic librarians have come under pressure to adjust to these changes. One such means of adjustment has come in the form of library-led co-curricular activities, whereby librarians design initiatives to provide students with a platform for meaningful engagement with undervalued library collections. The Calligraphy Connections Project (CCP) was designed and initiated by librarians in order to get students to interact with culturally significant, historical East Asian collections, which had been flagged for their low usage rates. The CCP involved the participation of sixty students of varied disciplinary backgrounds from 10 different universities across Korea, Hong Kong and Mainland China. The works produced by students in the project were on display in exhibitions across East Asia and the United Kingdom. This article explores the different facets of the CCP, the events, student outcomes and challenges, and critically reflects upon the project through the lens of three threshold concepts of the ACRL Framework. Wider readership empowered by librarians for the students' creative work is a driving force for their advancement in cultural study and research. It is our belief that this project can act as a model of student engagement, and as a testimony to the effectiveness of library-led co-curricular initiatives.