How are we to define 'scholarly information on East Asia? in today's academic and research environment? What is the 'Asian studies? that libraries with East Asian collections are here to serve? This paper focuses on the development of what is generally called the 'new' Asian studies, and review how it grew out of earlier roots in orientalism and area studies. Amelia McKenzie discusses some of the issues for libraries in collecting for the ?new? Asian studies, and notes in passing how some of the academic theories underpinning modern Asian studies have considerable relevance for the development of library collections on Asia as well.