San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Japanese American National Library (JANL)

Address: 1619 Sutter Street,, San Francisco

Description:

The Japanese American National Library (JANL) is a private, non-profit organization that has served the public as the only national Japanese American (JA) resource center. The library includes manuscripts and documents from the redress movement, every JA vernacular newspaper published in the United States and Canada, published books and materials relating to Japanese and Asian Americans and the hard to find church cookbooks and biographies of local citizens. The JANL is considered the most accurate information source on the history of JAs in the United States. Major media companies (e.g., ABC, CBS, CNN, KQED, and NBC) have consulted the JANL to verify important information. People researching JAs from other countries like Germany, Australia, and Canada use the library as a focal point in their studies. Future plans include an online database for all JA artwork, as well as a medical profile program for diagnosing JAs.

History:

Established 35 years ago in 1969, the JANL was formed to respond to a demand from the San Francisco State University Admissions Department. When a group of revolutionary freshman and sophomore college students and faculty set out to create “ethnic studies” as an accredited program, SFSU demanded a curriculum with specific details and references. The students knew they would not be able to do all this work on their own and be successful without the help and contribution of the community. Relationships developed with second hand bookshops; students set out nationwide to purchase every book published about JAs in the United States. The JANL is funded through profits of buying and selling used and donated books.

Significance:

Cultural, Historical, Social

Recognition of Significance:

Data verification from major media including, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and KQED.

Sources:

Karl Matsushita, Japanese American National Library – Library Director

Other Comments:

Prepared By: Darryl Abantao Date Prepared: 9/16/04