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Issue No. 120
April 2021

Collection Spotlight: Legal Databases at a Glance

Pkulaw.com (北大法寶) is a comprehensive Chinese law database published by the Peking University Center for Legal Information. Its coverage has been significantly expanded to include not just Judicial Cases, but also Laws and Regulations and their English translations and many other subject databases such as Law Journals, Law Firm Practice, IP Information, Labor Service, and Business Environment.
Pkulaw Logo20

If you need to research on common law jurisdictions, your best tools should be Westlaw Asia and Nexis Uni, previously known as LexisNexis Academic. Westlaw Asia now wears a new and improved look, which enables fast and easy content discovery. Westlaw Asia focuses on case law and legislation from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom with some coverage for Australia and Malaysia. Beyond Asia, Westlaw Classic gives in-depth U.S. legal content at both the federal and state levels and covers hundreds of U.S. law reviews and journals.
Nexis Uni Logo
Nexis Uni appears to be a news database at first sight, yet it does contain a huge amount of primary and secondary legal information, especially on Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Go to Advanced Search and choose the Legal tab to explore. How is it different from Westlaw then? The two do overlap to a great extent but each boasts its own exclusive content. One good example is Westlaw gives the complete run of the Hong Kong Law Reports and Digest whereas Nexis Uni contains the full set ofWestlaw Asia Logo Hong Kong Cases, both indispensable law report series in Hong Kong.

中國基本古籍庫 (https://lbdiscover.ust.hk/service/8278318120003412) –   收錄先秦至民國典籍(包括名著、各學科基本文獻及拾遺補闕類特殊著作)10,000種,12,517个版本(唐寫本1,景唐本2,宋刻本252,宋本2,宋刻元明遞修本29,景宋本200,金刻本8,景金本1,元刻本105,元鈔本3,元刻明修本23,景元本52, 明刻本2357,明鈔本185,明刻清修本44,景明本287,清刻本5534,清鈔本652,景清本39,民國本778,稿本47,四庫本1781,外國本135)。可用多種方法進行全文檢索,並有十項基本功能和兩個輔助工具,可輕鬆實現從研讀、批註到下載、列印的一站式整理研究作業。

Databases are at library.hkust.edu.hk –> Databases.


New Carrels Almost Done!

Buddy Pod ZoneThe study and research carrels replacement project is almost complete! By the time you read this, LG4 will be all done, with LG3 in progress for completion for final exam study.

The Library has been working on this for quite some time, and we thank you for your design input, feedback on furniture mockups, and your patience and understanding through the noisy and disruptive times.

You can refer to the article in our previous issue for more details of the design concept and development process.

LG4’s orange and green zones are complete, including the triangular zone of “Buddy Pods” where you can study in pairs without having to find a separate room.

When the new carrels for LG3 are in place – with their more mellow blue theme – the availability of study options on the Quiet Floor will be restored just in time for exam study!

Some of you asked what we plan to do with the mockup furniture on G/F. While they cannot mix directly into the updated elements, we will keep them and add them to other areas of LG4 to enhance the space and reduce waste.

Enjoy the updated spaces and new furniture on LG3 and LG4 – and we welcome your ongoing feedback at library@ust.hk.

LG4 New Carpet ready for carrelsLG4 New Carrels In Use

Library iTalks in Feb. and March

This year’s Library iTalks kicked off in February with an interesting topic: forensic anthropology. The Zoom talk was also live-streamed on the Library YouTube channel, with ~230 students and staff attending the talk altogether.

Zoom Talk Inset

Ms. Winsome Lee shared interesting facts about the history of forensics, differences between human and animal bones, and important information that can be deduced from bones: sex, age, stature, and ancestry. Feedback from participants included:

Library iTalk - Winsome• “對於探究屍骨的目的, 圓滿家屬的遺憾,促使講師投入時間和理念到這個行業令我對這個主題更感興趣。”
• “了解死亡,生命,以法醫角度看待尸體是一種全新體驗。我曾經有機會到解剖室接觸尸體[…] 這次講座令我進一步了解尸體的意義。”
• “The meaning behind the work of the occupation. It is beyond my expectation of understanding the meaning as I was so scared of dead or topics related to that. It was really fascinating.”

On 11 March, Mr. Jeffrey Andrews spoke about his life-changing story. He turned away from being a rebellious young gangster to become Hong Kong’s first registered ethnic minority social worker. He helps refugees, promotes ethnic minority rights, raises cultural sensitivity of local Chinese, and bridges the cultural gaps in our society.

Over 150 students and staff attended the talk. They were all very touched by the challenges and difficulties that ethnic minorities face in Hong Kong. Participants highlighted:

Library iTalk - Jeffrey Andrews• “Jeffrey’s experience is already touching enough, and his suggestion on what we can do, as a student , as a normal person can do.”
• “The effort that how Jeff is determined to change himself so as not to step into the wrong path again is absolutely inspiring. Besides, I am impressed by how much he had done to narrow the gap between local Chinese and ethnics minorities. More and more people start to understand the situation and difficulties of minorities in Hong Kong and gradually accept them. They are Hongkongers too.”
• “The entire talk he has shared was very dramatic and interesting. But most of all, I think the biggest take away from this talk is that it is your mindset that determines your life not the conditions that were given when you were born.”

The last talk in March focused on the science and function of cosmetics and the development of antimicrobial hand creams.

Three CBE students came up with the idea of creating a long-lasting antimicrobial hand cream in the Product and Process Design course in Spring 2020. With support from Prof. Marshal Liu and alumna-entrepreneur Ms. Vanessa Ho Po-Ki, the product was successfully commercialized. Prof. Liu shed insight about the myth and truth of cosmetics and this “design come true” experience. Ms. Vanessa Ho’s entrepreneur journey demonstrated that opportunities as well as success favour those who work hard and have strong determination. Over 160 students and colleagues joined the talk, aspects of the talk they found most valuable:

• 對化妝品的科普,彌補了很多日常缺少的知識
• The start and struggle of Ms Ho’s entrepreneurship
• Debunking cosmetics myths and the entrepreneur sharing is sososososo good!!!! Definitely the best talk I’ve attended so far!!!!!


Library Teaching Expanding and Evolving on Zoom

Following the move of all classes to online platforms in Spring 2020, library programs for undergraduates and postgraduates for the past year have been fully on Zoom. Just like most HKUST instructors and students, librarians adapted fast to the online teaching environment. We experimented with novel lesson designs to ensure our attendees have a positive learning experience; we also came up with new topics that were very well-received by students.

New topics in the 2020/2021 program include LaTex, OpenRefine, Open Access publishing; research data management workshops by HKUST professors; and workshops on various databases such as Nexis Uni and Statista.

Regarding lesson designs, we tried out different ways to enhance the learning experience and to facilitate interactions. For example, coordinating breaks to time with in-class exercises to avoid Zoom fatigue, using breakout rooms, deploying polls, and using the chat function strategically to keep participants engaged. Having students share their screens in workshops such as LaTex was found to be an effective way for the instructor to keep track of participants’ progress. We also found that having a warm-up chat with the whole group before the instructor sharing the screen is a low-tech but hightouch way to open a session.

One notable change in the Library’s online teaching as compared with physical classrooms is our increased use of the “flipped classroom” approach. Library instructors, wanting more time for interaction in Zoom, assign short readings or videos before workshops. Participants’ learning then expands with various kinds of reading, watching, thinking, and writing ahead of the class; and continuing after the class with reflection, feedback questions, and clarifications with the instructors. While not all topics of library instruction are suitable for “flipped” arrangements, this method has made a good difference in many. We may in future continue with a flipped approach for more face-to-face classes.


April 8th Libray iTalk – Mike Chinoy

Mike ChinoyThe Library will host an iTalk with award-winning journalist, former CNN correspondent, and author Mike Chinoy. In this talk, Mr. Chinoy will discuss the biography he has written about Kevin Boyle (1943-2010), one of the world’s great human rights lawyers: Are You with Me?: Kevin Boyle and the Rise of the Human Rights Movement.

Tory Are You WIth Me CoverIn a career that started in Northern Ireland in the 1960s and spanned decades and continents (including South Africa in the 1980s and Turkey in the 1990s), Boyle worked on issues ranging from freedom of the press to the rights of minorities (ethnic, religious, and sexual) and more. He also served as a professor of law at Queen’s University in Belfast, the University of Galway, and at the University of Essex. Kevin Boyle was a charismatic, influential figure: a great lawyer, scholar, and mentor whose fascinating life story deserves to be better known. This talk will be a great opportunity to learn about Boyle’s remarkable career and his lasting and extensive legacy.

HKUST Library has both paper and e-copies of the book. Anyone interested in a signed copy can contact Mike Chinoy at mikechinoy@gmail.com. Copies are HK$250 each.

Come and join the talk via Zoom on April 8th at 5:30pm https://lbcube.ust.hk/ce/index.php/event/7830/


圖書館新添中國器物藏品

最近,我館入藏了由本地一位著名收藏家捐贈的五百餘件中國器物。這批贈品以陶瓷冥器為主,有姿態各異的人俑(武俑、文官俑、樂俑和舞俑)和動物俑(獨角獸、犀牛、駱駝、馬俑等),還有瓶罐、爐灶、穀倉、香爐等物件;製作材料多樣,有綠釉、黑陶、褐陶、素陶、灰泥和白瓷等。此外,還有一些重量十足的力士磚、佛頭、佛像,以及雕工細緻的如意、八仙等木器。
Pottery - miscellaneous
這些器物,肯定有助於學習和了解中國的歷史和文化。本館將嘗試與我校有關院系合作,盡力讓它們在教學研究中發揮作用,為大學增添文化氣息,帶出新的教研方向。歡迎同事和同學們提供這方面的意見和建議。

Pottery Animals


Library Co-sponsors Global China Humanities Lecture Series

In February 2021, the Global China Center (GCC) of HSS launched its inaugural Global China Humanities Lecture Series with the Library as a co-sponsor. Under this Series, internationally renowned scholars and young, first-book authors are invited to discuss their latest works on topics ranging from Cold War history, diaspora studies and global medicine, to literature.
David Eb
Established in mid-2019, the GCC focuses on advancing a new paradigm of China Studies, in alignment with China’s global impacts and integration today. The Center seeks to foster interdisciplinary and multi-method research and teaching on global China. Internationally, GCC is building collaborative ties with other centers on global China in North America, Europe, and Australia. Within Asia, it acts as a regional platform for scholarly exchange in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan; and establishes dialogue around potential partnerships with schools in China.

Fourteen events have been planned for this spring. Eight of them were conducted in February and March with good response. Coming up in April and May are talks on Global Healing: Medical Humanities, Chinese Literature, and the World by Prof Karen Thornber from Harvard University, The Cold War by Prof. Arne Westad from Yale University, and Paving The Road Away From Reconciliation: The Anatomy Of Injustice In Post-WWII Japanese War Crimes Trials by Prof. Barak Kushner of Cambridge University.

The Series is free and open to the public. Lectures are conducted in either English or Chinese. Participants must register before each event. Check out the details from GCC’s Website: https://globalchinacenter.shss.ust.hk/events/global-china-humanities-series


Music & Costumes Exhibition Kicks Off HKUST Arts Festival

Ceremonial Ribbon CuttonThe exhibition “Between Europe and Asia: Traditional Music and Costumes from Central Asia, Caucasus and the Middle East” was opened on 24 March, kicking off the HKUST Arts Festival 2021.

Interactive Exhibit
Musical Instruments
Digital Cosplay

 

 

 

A joint effort of the Library, Center for the Arts, and MTPC, the exhibition features the lively melodies and dazzling colors of these three regions through their traditional musical instruments and costumes.

HKUST President Prof. Wei Shyy; Mr. Alireza Esmaeil Zadeh, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran n Hong Kong and Macao; Mr. Rashid Yerishev, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong; and Mr. Ahmet Peyami Kalyoncu, Consul General of Turkey in Hong Kong spoke at the Ceremony to celebrate the successful launch of the exhibition.

Dr. Anna Kwong, Program Director of CFA, gave a vote of thanks to the three Consuls General; to Mr. Eugene Leung, Curator of the exhibition; and to all the individuals and organizations for their genuine support and contributions.

The Ceremony was climaxed by some extraordinary guest performances which included a Persian poetry recital and Turkish bağlama and Kazakh dombra music performances.

The guests were also given a guided tour by Mr. Eugene Leung, the exhibition Curator. He discussed the displays, the ethnic groups, and their unique musical styles and costumes. The guests also had fun trying on the traditional costumes virtually (Digital Cosplay 虛實霓裳) and engaging in the creation of alluring music (Music in Your Hands 掌上樂韻) and color patterns (Carpet Garden 地氈花園).

It was a truly enjoyable evening for our guests, treated with the exotic experience through an array of beautiful displays and fascinating interactive activities.

The exhibition runs until September 5. Don’t forget to explore the interactive multimedia activities to immerse yourself in a new digital experience.

See more at the exhibition website: https://lbcone.ust.hk/music-costumes

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last modified 07 April 2021