Study abroad in Seoul: an overview of South Korean libraries

Abstract

In August 2006 the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee sponsored a three-week study abroad program in Seoul, South Korea. Through on-sight visits and presentations at libraries of various types in and around the city, the program provided an overview of current practices and trends in South Korean libraries. Capitalizing on the country's strong economy and centralized government, Korean libraries have developed greatly in recent years; their current facilities and services demonstrate a strong national commitment to adopting new technologies and to utilizing libraries as institutions.

Introduction

In August 2006, the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) sponsored a three-week study abroad program in Seoul, South Korea. I had the pleasure of being one of eight library science students from across the United States to participate. Organized by Dr. Wooseob Jeong of UWM, the program was planned to coincide with the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Annual Conference, hosted in Seoul that year. The program included tours of libraries in and around Seoul, with presentations to highlight their special projects. The institutions included:

• The National Library of Korea
• The National Assembly Library of the Republic of Korea
• Seoul National University
• Sookmyung Women's University
• Ewha Women's University
• Yonsei University
• Sungkyunkwan University
• Miracle Children's Library
• Eunpyeong District Public Library
• The National Institute of Korean History
• Cheongju Early Printing Museum

These visits offered an overview of current practices and trends in South Korean libraries, with particular emphasis on technological developments.

Technological Development

South Korea is among the "most wired" countries in the world with over 75% of households having broadband access (Fornsberg, 2005). New technology is ubiquitous in Seoul, from the myriad cybercafes to the video cell phones seen on the subway. Not surprisingly, the adoption of technology is a prevalent trend in Korean libraries. The National Library of Korea demonstrates the commitment to automation and digitization. This library serves as one of two national depository libraries in Korea, requiring mandatory submission of all domestically published books and journals. In 1984 the library started a program to standardize and automate all cataloging records which could be shared with all libraries within the country. While based on an OCLC MARC cataloging model, this program was locally developed and modified to address specific issues such as Korean language elements. The library also developed a computerized circulation program; continually developed and updated, it is still used in nearly all libraries today.

Concurrent with these developments, in 1995 the National Library began creating the network "backbone" that would be the start of future online initiatives. Early projects included remote catalog access and a homepage. In 1997 a modest project was started that would digitize 200 books, in addition to assorted journals and dissertations. Citing its popularity and promise, the library acquired additional government funding to expand the project—providing work for unemployed IT professionals during the economic crisis of 1998. This grew into a large-scale ongoing initiative; the library continues to digitize and post nearly all materials it receives. A National Digital Library will soon be completed, illustrating the government's use of the internet as a central way to provide information.

Technology in Use

New technology is used in a variety of ways in Korean libraries. Most of the institutions visited by the UWM group were involved in digitization. These projects took a range of forms, but most involved digitizing special collections and rare books. Seoul National University Library has made other types of material available online, including video recordings of recitals by music faculty and an insect database developed in the biology department. The National Institute of Korean History has digitized large amounts of historical documents and developed a database that enables the searching of these records, even those with Chinese-borrowed characters.

The adoption of technology is not only evident in the formatting of material, but also in the operations of libraries themselves. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is popular in Korean libraries. Books and patron cards include RFID chips that make circulation processing highly efficient. RFID can be used to determine the location of an item within a library, allowing for rapid inventorying and easy tracking of misplaced items. Several libraries have stations for self-check-out and check-in using RFID. Libraries also make use of the fact that cell phones are ubiquitous in Seoul. Sookmyung Women's University Library, for example, has a special reader enabling patrons to use their cell phones to borrow books or sign into the library's computer system. The IFLA Conference included a presentation by LG Sangnam Library, explaining how their blind patrons use special cell phones to access the library's audio materials.

The use of technology also demonstrates differences in attitude between Korean and US libraries. The National Library and National Assembly Library are attempting to scan all materials they receive; the public library we visited had an in-house department that routinely scans the hard copies of their books and magazines. This widespread electronic reproduction of materials raises questions about the application of copyright laws. In the United States, with the exception of materials covered under "Fair Use" guidelines, libraries must seek permission before reproducing and allowing access to copyrighted materials. Korean libraries operate within a more flexible framework. The National Library, for example, places few limits on what copyrighted materials it electronically reproduces, but access to these materials is limited to designated terminals both on-site and at affiliated libraries (ironically reducing the convenience of online access). Compensation is paid to copyright holders as required. With materials of unknown ownership, the library might still post them but will record their usage; a fund is maintained to pay out copyright holders should disputes later arise. Materials not covered by copyright are made publicly available. Another example illustrating attitude difference was noted in the National Library: when notifying patrons that materials requested from storage are available for pick up, the service desk posts the name of the patron on an illuminated public display visible to everyone in the room, a contrast to the more anonymous procedures in place at many privacy-conscious US libraries.

The adoption of technology is fundamentally changing the traditional role of the librarian. Korean library schools, like their counterparts elsewhere, are adjusting their curricula to best prepare information professionals. The research and teaching interests of library science faculty at Sungkyunkwan University include data modeling, as well as new methods of gathering usage statistics. This illustrates the widely diverse and changing field of knowledge for which new librarians will be responsible.

Libraries as Institutions

Despite heavy investment in technology to enable online and remote access of large amounts of materials, the practice of using "bricks and mortar" library facilities appears to be thriving in Korea. Nearly all libraries visited in the program were well-populated with patrons, some even crowded. Sookmyung Women's University Library recently completed a beautiful $10 million renovation that even includes a screening room for films and an underground expansion to provide additional around-the-clock study space. In order to accommodate the heavy demand, students using the library's large computer area are limited to one-hour slots. The newly completed Eunpyeong District Public Library offers a 24-hour study area, well-used by students cramming for university entrance exams. We were surprised to see that the National Assembly Library even has a separate children's collection and reading room.

Widespread support is also reflected in the variety of funding sources. In addition to government or institutional support, public and university libraries alike receive financial support from corporations such as Samsung and LG. Corporate sponsors of the Miracle Children's Library, one of several slated to be built throughout the country, stipulated that future on-going support come from the local community. Eunpyeong District Public Library receives large support from its local Buddhist community.

Korean libraries are striking in their newness. Just as the development of libraries in the United States was made possible through the economic development of the Industrial Revolution of the last century, Korean economic growth in the last few decades has brought significant investment in the country's educational system, and is enabling the expansion of the library's role in society in a relatively short time. This newness presents several advantages. Several libraries visited were housed in new buildings which could be designed around the latest or most desired services. For example, large amounts of floor space could be devoted to computer stations without the need to reduce or relocate established services. Korean libraries have quickly adopted systems that were the result of incremental improvements elsewhere. One example is the National Library's modeling of cataloging practices after OCLC mentioned above. School libraries are rapidly being developed by the National Ministry of Education along a plan based in part on research of school library effectiveness in supporting academic success in the United States. The size and governmental organization of the country lends itself to centralization which helps further accelerate initiatives on a nationwide scale and is effective in minimizing costs.

Final Comments

The Study Abroad program was an amazing experience and offered a unique insight into a multifaceted national library system. Many of the professionals we met were high-ranking institution/library directors and museum curators who were tremendously gracious and generous both with time and behind-the-scenes access to facilities. For example, the administrative equivalent of the Librarian of Congress spent an entire morning with our group to give her firsthand account of leading many of the National Library's initiatives. Tours included access to special and rare collections and even the reading room reserved for use by members of the National Assembly. In addition to the library program and IFLA Conference, we visited the Demilitarized Zone and Haeinsa Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a library unto itself). We also had ample opportunities to explore Seoul, shop, and of course eat great Korean food.

It is a dynamic and exciting time for libraries in South Korea. Many state-of-the-art facilities have been established with strong commitment to further growth. Thus it was particularly appropriate that IFLA—which supports and fosters international collaboration and development among libraries—held its annual conference in Seoul. The program is inspiring for a beginning librarian.

Reference

Fornsberg, B., (2005). The future is South Korea: Tech firms try out latest in world's most wired society. San Francisco Chronicle, March 13, 2005. Retrieved April 4, 2007, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/13/BROADBAND.TMP

Author's Bio

John Stork is a MLIS student at Kent State University and works for University Libraries at the University of Cincinnati.

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