Yo-Yo Ma will perform from April 19 to 28 at University of California, Berkeley, to raise fund for a $40 million building of a new East Asian Library. The new library will house one of the largest collections of Asian books in the country. The current library is housed in the former Boalt Law School facilities, but most of the East Asian Library's books are stored in three other buildings. Only one other university -- Princeton -- has such a comparable collection, and it is a private institution limited only to students and scholars. At least 44 percent of the student body at UC Berkeley is now made up of Asians and APAs. About 80 excellent seats for Ma's concert are blocked off to prospective donors for a pair of tickets at $50,000 in five annual installments and there will be a private reception with Yo-Yo Ma after the concert.
Former Chancellor Chang-lin Tien campaigned for the new library even after he left the chancellor's office and returned to teaching. Several years ago, he became ill and retired. The University plans to name the new three-story library after him.