中美书缘——钱存训与目录学研究

Tsien Tsuen-Hsuin and His Bibliographical Study

钱存训是著名的书史、印刷史、图书馆学专家,然至今未见学者专门探讨其目录学思想。大学期间,他就曾在《图书馆与学术研究》一文中对目录学理论有所探讨,也编制了部分目录索引。赴美后,钱存训选修了艾西汉、谢拉等美国著名图书馆学家开设的相关课程,进一步加深了对西方目录学的认识。其代表性目录学作品有《译书对中国近代化的影响》《中国书目解题汇编》《中国印刷史书目》等。其目录编制思想先后受到刘国钧、杜定友、袁同礼、艾西汉、休谟等中西图书馆学家、目录学家的影响,可谓融通中西。钱存训认为目录是开启学术之门的万能钥匙,目录学素养应为图书馆工作者之基本素养,强调目录编制工作者应有奉献精神等等。

Tsien Tsuen-Hsuin was a renowned Chinese-American expert on book history, printing history and Library Science. However, his bibliographical thoughts have been ignored so far. Therefore, this paper is intended to make a tentative interpretation of his bibliographical thoughts by means of both textual analysis and historical analysis. When studying in the University of Nanking, Tsien was influenced by Liu Kuo-chon＇s bibliography course, and published his early paper ＂Library and Academic Research＂, in which he elaborated on the functions, types, compiling and evaluation of bibliography. Besides, he compiled An Index to Opinions on the Mukden Incident, providing many clues for later scholars. After his graduation from the University of Nanking in 1932, Tsien worked in the Chiao Tung University Library in Shanghai. Under the guidance of Librarian Ding U Doo, Tsien not only compiled Ding U Doo： A Bio-Bibliography, but also took part in the compiling of A Selected Bibliography of Books for Ordinary Libraries. In 1937, Tsien transferred to the Shanghai Office of the National Library of Peiping, where he was influenced by Tung-Li Yuan and other colleagues. In 1947, Tsien went to study in the United States and later stayed there. Influenced by Lester Asheim and Jesse H. Shera, Tsien learned more about Western bibliographical thoughts, and began to make use of bibliometrics and make comparisons between Chinese and Western bibliographical thoughts. When teaching in the University of Chicago, Tsien introduced Tung-Li Yuan and Eugene Wu＇s bibliography works and laid a solid academic foundation for himself. As a result of his research, Tsien published some important bibliographies, including Western Impact on China through Translation： A Bibliographical Study and China, China： An Annotated Bibliography of Bibliographies, and A Preliminary Bibliography of Chinese Printing History. Tsien＇s bibliographies could be divided into different types, such as annotated, comprehensive and special ones. And his bibliographical thoughts got influenced by both Chinese and Western scholars. He not only attached great importance to the role of bibliography in academic research and library work, but also emphasized bibliographers＇ dedication. Besides, influenced by Tsien, some of his disciples accomplished a lot in bibliography. Based on the experience of Tsien＇s academic life and achievements gained, we once again verified the role of bibliography in the ＂academic gateway to learning＂. In carrying forward the fine traditional culture of China, the function of bibliography should be of special significance.