Keio Academy of New York ── Book Club ──

When I assumed the position of Headmaster, the library had been closed for a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to strong requests from students, I decided to reopen it and undertake a fundamental reform and reconstruction of the library. The interior was extensively renovated, including the installation of three-dimensional bookshelves and sofa sets in Keio colors. In particular, the innovative mural of Yukichi Fukuzawa, completed through the collaborative efforts of students led by current 12th grader Kanna Iida, has become a new photo spot for the Academy.

Regarding the bookshelves, we established the "Yukichi Fukuzawa Bookshelf," the "Headmaster's Bookshelf," and the "Triculture (the triple culture of Japan, the U.S., and Keio) Bookshelf," as well as the "Hayakawa Publishing Bookshelf" to commemorate a large donation. Librarian Megumi Kawashima launched a monthly newsletter focusing on book recommendations for students and contributed an article introducing the library to a local newspaper. Thus, under the concept of a "Learning Commons," the reborn library has established itself as a place for students to read, study, socialize, and engage in discussions.

Of particular note is the launch of several book clubs, which are held in the library.

Since early in my tenure, at the request of students, I have personally covered original works from my specialty of British and American literature, including Hawthorne, Melville, Salinger, as well as Kazuo Ishiguro and David Henry Hwang. Meanwhile, Yuki Fujita of the Japanese Department not only reads works by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Masao Yamakawa, and Nobel laureates Yasunari Kawabata and Kenzaburo Oe, but also organizes Bibliobattles. We also cannot overlook the recently revived Yukichi Fukuzawa Research Society, advised by Nozomi Yoshinaka of the Japanese Department. A glimpse of these activities can be seen in the Keio Research Review, the Academy's academic journal launched three years ago. (Takayuki Tatsumi, Professor Emeritus, Keio University / Headmaster, Keio Academy of New York)