Sept. 8, 2008, Beppu – Sommers Pierce, Information Resource Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, gave a presentation on libraries and library school education in the United States. Ms. Pierce spoke to approximately 200 students, their professors and librarians who were taking part in the summer library science certification program at Beppu University.

Ms. Pierce highlighted the numerous opportunities for Japanese students to study library science in the U.S. and noted that four of the seven staff members at the Information Resource Center (IRC) in Tokyo had earned advanced degrees from U.S. universities.