HULibraryNews
FEATURE

11Nov2023

Published: Hiroshima University Libraries www.lib.hiroshima‐u.ac.jp

November 1st is “Classics Day” This Month is a Classic Book Special!
November 1st was declared as “Classics Day” in Japan in2012, based on the November 1st 1008 diary entry of The
Diary of Lady Murasaki Shikibu (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki),which revealed the oldest known record of Japanʼs firstclassic story “Genji Monogatari”. Here “classics” refer toany production of cultural significance, especially in thefields of culture, art, scholarship and thought.

At Hiroshima university we preserve not only Japaneseclassics, but also many so-called “World Classics”. For
this issue we will introduce a World Classic: “TheBotanical Magazine” and some other books related tobotany. You can also view many works on various
websites for free, so please think deeply on ourpredecessors as you browse different classics.

『 The Botanical Magazine 』or, Flower‐Garden Displayed
In 1787, London, a botanist and entomologist named William Curtis(1746~1799) began publishing this magazine about foreign house plants. Thismagazine is the oldest known botanical magazine with such beautifully painted
illustrations, and Central Library has preserved original issues dating back to1848 in its valuable materials collection. Even now, long after Curtisʼs death, andafter undergoing some restructuring, the magazine is still being published.
During the Age of Discovery in Europe, many people from Europe called “PlantHunters” explored the world to find undiscovered plants, collect them, and bringthem back home. The first public Plant Hunter, Francis Masson (1741~1805)
was dispatched from the Royal Kew botanical gardens. In his time, he achieved
many things, but faced many hardships during his overseas travels, including
being captured by foreign armies and attacked by pirates. It is said that at theend of his journeys he died of sickness or froze to death.
The path of a Plant Hunter was arduous and through their hardship, many of theplants featured in this magazine were brought from overseas back to Europe.

Strelitzia reginae（Bird of Paradise）

Camellia Japonica（Japanese Camellia）

This is one of the flowers Masson found in South
Africa and sent back to Europe. When this flower
was first introduced to England, it was a sensationin high society! From the fact that its scientific nameis King George the Thirdʼs queenʼs maiden-name, it
is clear that this plant was very much the talk of thetown at the time.

v.2 plate42

Further Reading『プラントハンター』
⽩幡洋三郎著, 2005,
講談社学術⽂庫(West Librarysmall-sized books）

v.4 plate119『紅茶スパイ : 英国⼈プラントハンター
中国をゆく』
サラ・ローズ著
築地誠⼦訳, 2011, 原書房（Central LibraryStacks)
Lilium Japonicum(Japanese Lily/SasaYuri）
v.38 plate1591

Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis（Hibiscus）
v.5 plate158

lathyrus odoratus（Sweet Pea）
v.3 plate60

The featured images were taken of magazines in Central Libraryʼs Valuable Materials Collection.
You can browse these beautiful images (including the issues after the restructuring of the magazine)(botanicus.org), an open access resource.

on Botanicus Digital Libraryi

INFORMATION

Novemberʼs Announcements and Events

The History of Hiroshima
University Exhibit

Undergoing Trial

November 8th (Wed.)〜29th (Wed.)

Medical Online E‐books（~February 1st）

Central Library 1st Floor
Regional and International
Exchange Plaza

Around 6,000 electronic materials
related to medical study and treatment
from within Japan available to browse!

2023Access by VPNoff‐campus

Central Library November Display「Writing a Paper」

Isho.jp （~December 10th）
You can read 96 journals from
12 different companies, including
Igaku Shoin, and Medical Review.
『よくわかる卒論の書き⽅』第2版
⽩井利明・⾼橋⼀郎著
ミネルヴァ書房 2013

Maruzen Ebook Library
Trial Reading Service (~March 23rd)

正⾨（昭和27年）

You can use about 16,000 materials
made available by Maruzen‐Yushodo.
Materials besides those held at
Hiroshima University are not available for Download.

And others…

TOPICSTopics
図書館でEnglish

October Library Orientation Videos
Library Orientation videos targeted for newly enrolled graduate
students, exchange students, and transfer students have been
uploaded to the library website!
You can learn about library facilities and how to use the library,including how to find materials, search for materials using OPAC, andother procedures to help you get started using our libraries!

These events willtake place every
month at WestLibrary.

← Scan the QR code formore details!
There are also
practice quizzes!

This month the library has started
a new event for beginning English
speakers! Letʼs cheer on theparticipants!

October’s Themewas Halloween!

CALENDAR

November Library Calendars
Central Library

East LibraryWest Library

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Higashi Senda Library

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Kasumi Library
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Closed All
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hours!
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