Matthew Hayes, Ph.D.

Matthew Hayes is the Librarian for Japanese Studies and Asian American Studies in the International and Area Studies (IAS) Department. His work includes research consultations, library instruction, collections management, and web-based guides. He is an active member of several professional organizations and centers, including the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) and the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), and is actively involved with Duke's Asia/Pacific Studies Institute (APSI) and the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES). He has served on several committes in the North American Coordinating Council of Japanese Library Resources (NCC).

Prior to joining Duke Libraries, Matthew completed his Ph.D. in Asian Languages and Cultures at UCLA with a focus on early modern Japanese Buddhism. His current research investigates the transmission of Buddhist doctrinal knowledge from the Edo period (1603-1868) through mid-Meiji period (1868-1912), with a narrow focus on the ritual, scholastic, and literary engagements with ceremonial lectures (kōshiki) in the esoteric Shingon school. He is currently preparing a manuscript focused on performances of a ceremonial lecture on Buddha relics at the Kyoto temple Chishakuin.