Joint Yale-Hong Kong project to preserve documentation of Chinese Christianity

The Yale University Divinity School Library (YUDL) and the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have launched a collaboration to preserve and enrich their collections of contemporary Chinese Christianity, especially works written in Chinese.

This agreement enables YUDL and HKBU to work together to identify and to select published and unpublished materials documenting the history and practice of Chinese Christianity. These materials include, but are not limited to, books, periodicals, reports, archives, and personal papers. YUDL will provide HKBU with funding support from the Kenneth Scott Latourette Initiative for the Documentation of World Christianity for ongoing selected projects. HKBU will identify and manage these projects, as well as digitize the materials using international standards.

Computer-output microfilms will also be produced as preservation copies, and the master negative microfilms will be deposited in underground storage in the United States. Both libraries will keep digital copies and positive copies of microfilms for public access. Selected digitized materials will also be made available for free public access with the consent of the publishers and copyright holders.  

This partnership will provide a unique opportunity for the two institutions to offer access to Chinese Christianity materials, to promote the use of primary resources of Chinese Christianity in the study, and research of world Christianity, as well as to support the needs in teaching, learning, and research for their respective communities and beyond. This collaboration also is a joint effort of the two institutions to increase awareness among other organizations, such as Christian churches, of the value of documentation and the history of Chinese Christianity.