This fall, the LIS Program welcomes Dr. Yuhiro Mizunuma as a Visiting Scholar. She is an Associate Professor of LIS in the Faculty of Business Administration at St. Andrew’s University (Momoyama Gakuin University) in Osaka, Japan.
Dr. Mizunuma has done extensive research on areas of collection management and the impact of outsourcing on libraries in Japan. She received her MA and Ph.D. at the UHM LIS Program’s Sister School, the University of Tsukuba. She was in a graduate course that LIS Professor Andrew Wertheimer taught back in 2012. Yuhiro recalled, “That was my first class in English, and it was a bit of a challenge,” she admitted, “but it was incredibly valuable in helping me understand the importance of diversity in collections.” She added, “Professor Wertheimer was so kind to students. He answered all my questions patiently and showed genuine interest in my research, which really gave me confidence.” Since then, she has explored a variety of research areas, including the impact of outsourcing on public libraries’ material diversity. She wrote a paper with Professor Keita Tsuji, which won an award from A-LIEP. She has also examined cross-cultural aspects of social media between Japanese and American public libraries.
Now in Hawaiʻi, Dr. Mizunuma is focusing on how library services can better meet diverse user needs, including those of LGBTQIA+ users. She is excited about being here and observing the diversity of local library collections and users. It is an important time for Japanese LIS faculty to help educate librarians who can curate diverse collections as their users are embracing more diverse identities, including new immigrants and sexual/gender identities. She will be researching LIS education and librarianship while here for the next few months.
Outside of her research, Dr. Mizunuma enjoys visiting libraries in Honolulu with her family—her husband and one-year-old son. Weekends are spent exploring local libraries, where she’s often surprised by what she finds. “In Japan, it’s rare to see libraries with sound toys, popcorn bars or photo zones for Halloween costumes. The libraries here are so dynamic and engaging. They go beyond what we traditionally think of as a library experience.”
She aims to share knowledge she has gained in Japan with members of the UHM LIS program, and hopes to share the insights gained in Hawaiʻi with librarians and LIS students in Japan.