Library Information
About the Library
Matsushita Library & Information Center (MLIC) primarily serves the instructional and research needs of IUJ students, faculty, and staff. Current MLIC holdings total over 100,000 volumes, with a growing part of the collection available in electronic formats.
The main library collection is located on the second floor of the MLIC building. The collection generally reflects and is strongest in the areas of the International University of Japan’s (IUJ) academic programs. Broad subject areas covered by our collection include international relations, international development, public administration, political science, area studies, economics, business administration, and finance and accounting. Other related areas, such as language, philosophy, statistics, and communications, also make up part of the collection.
In addition to the main collection, the MLIC houses an extensive Special Collection* of books written in Arabic and Persian languages, originally compiled by the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at IUJ. This is one of the few collections of its kind in Japan, including English language materials, which the MLIC maintains.
Free and easy access to e-journals and e-books, as well as to principal world economic statistics, data and other e-resources, is available through the MLIC’s databases. Various library services are available to users online, including Reference services, Book purchase requests, and Inter-Library Loan. On-site services include reference assistance; printing and copying equipment; and approximately 80 study carrels, many of which are equipped with power outlets in addition to the wireless access available throughout campus. About the MLIC’s general services, please refer to the Guide.
This advanced, user-oriented information center is open from 8:30 to 23:45 on weekday, 12:00 to 23:45 on weekends, and maintained, developed, and continually upgraded by full-time, experienced library and computing staff.
*Special Collection details: The collection began under the auspices of Sohei Nakayama, the founder of IUJ, and consists of a wide range of materials related to Islamic culture and society. It contains basic reference books for religious studies, such as various versions of commentary on the Qur’an and collections of the Hadith, as well as historical documents on the early and medieval Islamic world and many books of Jurisprudence, especially of the Hanafi School and a rich collection of Fatwa. The collection also includes a variety of books in categories other than those mentioned above that are important and useful for both broad and nuanced understanding of complex socio-cultural aspects of the Islamic tradition.
MLIC Through the Years
| 1988 | Matsushita Library & Information Center (MLIC) established The Matsushita Library & Information Center (MLIC) was officially established, funded by a donation from Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now Panasonic). It served both as the university’s library and its IT hub. |
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| 1991 | IUJ expands research programs; MLIC as central academic hub IUJ expanded research and academic programs, with MLIC continuing as the central hub for library, IT, and academic support. |
| 1996 | Printed journals shifted online; MLIC subscribes to 1,000+ e-journals The library transitioned primarily to the 2nd floor as printed journals were replaced with digital access. MLIC began subscribing to over 1,000 e-journals, making materials available online instead of in physical paper form. |
| 1997 | Library Student Assistant (LSA) program was launched MLIC began recruiting IUJ students to work part-time in the library. This not only supported library operations but also gave international students valuable work opportunities and library training experience. |
| 2010s–2020s | 100,000 volumes, large e-resource collection, 24h PC rooms. Collection reached ~100,000 volumes (about 80% non-Japanese publications). Subscriptions to tens of thousands of e-journals and databases. Expanded IT infrastructure: 24-hour PC rooms, campus-wide Wi-Fi, and e-resource portals. |
| Present | MLIC serves as IUJ’s library & IT center MLIC remains the heart of IUJ’s library and IT services, providing academic resources, study space, and support for IUJ’s international student body. |