严文郁访美征书事：史料整理与分析

YAN Wenyu’s Visit to America and Raising Books: An Analysis Based on Archives

严文郁访美征书事是民国晚期中美图书馆界一次重要的交流活动,对认识这一时期中美政界、图书馆界间的相互交往具有价值。由于史料缺乏,学界对此认识模糊不清。文章以发掘整理的大量英文函件为线索,厘清该事件的诸多史实,并运用年鉴学派的方法,从“结构”“局势”“事件”3个层面对这一事件进行分析。研究发现:由于国立罗斯福图书馆是政治需要的产物,而其筹备期正处于中美关系由亲密无间转向渐生嫌隙的阶段,其很快沦为“鸡肋工程”,因此“筹而不立”。尽管从“事件”层面上来说,严文郁勤勉任事,在美积极开展宣传征募活动,然而该事件与“局势”“结构”等深层次中美关系相违逆,其收效较为有限。

YAN Wenyu’s visit to America and his raising books,a major event in the history of Sino-American librarianship in the late Republican China,can shed light on the interaction between Chinese and American political circles and the library community during that period.However,lack of historical records leads to vague understandings towards the event.Based on the English documents from Chongqing Municipal Archives,this article clarifies many facts about YAN’s visit,and analyzes the event from the perspectives of structures,conjunctures and events by adopting theories of the Annales School.It is found out that the National Roosevelt Library was a political creation and its failure in formal inauguration was caused by the deterioration of Sino-American relations.Judged by the angel of this specific event,YAN and his colleagues were devoted workers,and he had conducted book campaign diligently.However their efforts were not in accordance with the overall conjunctures and structures,and thus poorly rewarded.