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Remarks Prepared for
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao to the
National Conference on Establishing an Asian Pacific American Collection in the Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Thank you, Dr. Lee [Director, Asian Division of the Library of Congress], for those kind words of introduction.
I am pleased to be here this evening to welcome the distinguished scholars, researchers, academic and community leaders who have come together to discuss establishing an Asian Pacific American Collection within the Library of Congress.
This is an historic undertaking! As you know, the Library of Congress is one of our nation's cultural treasures. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in America. It is the primary research arm of the U.S. Congress. And it is one of the world's largest and most distinguished library collections.
Among the Library's precious holdings are more than 2.8 million books and other printed materials in Asian languages. And the Library's Asian Division, established in 1928, is known throughout the world for its fine collection and expert staff. I'd like to commend Dr. Lee, Chief of the Asian Division, his colleagues and collaborative partners, for recognizing the need for and proposing this conference.
It is time for a conference like this one. Asians and Pacific Islanders have been coming to America for hundreds of years and are a proud part of the American experience. Some materials documenting their history and accomplishments in our country are already part of the Library's many collections. They include publications related to the arrival of Chinese sojourners in the mid-1800s. They include records — and the internal camp newspapers — of the Japanese American internment during World War II. And other publications in the Library reflect the Korean-American experience and those of other large Asian Pacific American communities, as well. Now is the time to build upon this great beginning and bring all of these resources together into a national Asian Pacific American collection.
Today, our country is much more diverse than ever before. When my family and I first came to America in the 1960's, we were often the only Asian family in the neighborhood in which we lived. But all that has changed. Asian Pacific Americans are one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. As our community grows, it is important to broaden and deepen the Library's collections to reflect all of the communities within the Asian Pacific Diaspora that have contributed so much to our country. And a key part of this effort is developing a national, comprehensive Asian Pacific American collection that can be preserved and shared for generations to come.
Fortunately, the Internet provides unprecedented opportunities to make this vision a reality by reaching out through electronic means to expand the acquisitions, knowledge base and accessibility of the Library's Asian Pacific American collections.
One critical link is between the Library's collections and the rapidly growing number of Asian American studies programs at American universities. Many of these universities — such as those co-sponsoring this conference — have created their own collections related to the Asian Pacific American experience. They are rich sources of materials for research, especially about Asian Pacific American communities that are relatively new to the United States such as the Vietnamese and the Khmer.
A national, permanent collection within the Library of Congress will help to document, preserve and celebrate our experiences and contributions to this great country. It will help mainstream Americans appreciate the core values that Asian Pacific Americans share with them. And it will help build bridges of understanding between Asia and America, which is so important as our country increasingly becomes part of a worldwide economy. This collection can become an important tool to foster mutual respect, develop cross-cultural understanding and strengthen the ties between Asia and America.
We are fortunate to live in a country in which diversity is a core strength. It is one of our country's great cultural and competitive advantages. America is made up of people from every country in the world. Americans can look at others and say, we understand you because we are you. And for centuries this country has welcomed newcomers from all over the world as a beacon of hope and opportunity. That is why so many Asians and Pacific Islanders have chosen America as our home, and are proud to contribute our talents and energy to the American experience.
So let me extend my best wishes to all of you, as you begin this exciting and historic undertaking.
Thank you for everything you are doing to preserve and celebrate our many contributions. And I look forward to celebrating with you the establishment of a national, permanent Asian Pacific American collection in the Library of Congress.
Have a wonderful conference!
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