Specialised Information Service Asia (FID Asia) – Chinese language and culture region, Japan, Korea, Central Asia (Mongolia and Central Asian regions in the People's Republic of China), Southeast Asia

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Achim Bonte
• Subject Area: Asian Studies
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 471539089

The project aims – in close consultation with the research community and other institutions that provide information and research support – at the expansion and reliable operation of an information service catering the specific needs of the German Asian Studies community. It will strengthen the interdisciplinary information infrastructure on Asia (Chinese language and culture region, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Central Asian regions of China, Southeast Asia) and thereby reach beyond a common region-oriented supply of information. All services are offered through CrossAsia (https://crossasia.org), the portal of the Specialised Information Service Asia (FID Asia) that is operated by Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (SBB). The services of the FID Asia, which perceives itself as a service structure covering all sub-disciplines of the humanities, cultural studies and social sciences and which also acknowledges the needs of trans-regional studies, are available to researchers and research-related teaching at universities and other scientific institutions. The FID’s target group are scholars of all disciplines who work on the region in the field of humanities, cultural studies, social sciences and beyond. The basis of all services is a clear-cut collection development policy that takes into account current research topics with a focus on open access publications. The maintenance and further development of user-friendly search and access systems guarantees fast and direct access to the materials (regardless of the publication form). A major part of the project will be the consolidation of the FID Asia as a service infrastructure for the German Asian Studies community. This infrastructure becomes particularly apparent in the area of information and literature supply, in the context of satellite projects, but also in the areas of research data and open access publications. The infrastructure will also provide a better and more focused support for the digital humanities. As a service partner to, among others, the FID South Asia the FID Asia will provide and operate central services via the CrossAsia platform. Furthermore, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin has initiated a coordinating group amongst the FID projects that also offer services relating to Asia and it will continue to develop the FID-Network Asia actively and in a supportive manner.

• DFG Programme: Acquisition and Provision (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)