Visiting Libraries Abroad

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Information Studies, where I am a student, sponsored a three-week study-abroad program this summer to Seoul, South Korea. I had the pleasure of being one of eight students to participate in the study-abroad program and travel to this beautiful and interesting country.

The visit was organized to coincide with the International Federation of Library Association’s (IFLA) Conference. In addition to participating in the conference, the first two weeks of the study-abroad program were comprised of visiting and touring various libraries in and around Seoul, and attending special lecture presentations on library-related topics. The libraries we visited included: The National Library, The National Assembly Library, Seoul National University, Sookmyung Women’s University, Ewha Women’s University, Yonsei University, Sungkyungkwan University, Miracle Children’s Library, Eunpyeong District Public Library, The National Institute of Korean History Chungju, and the Early Printing Museum.

We heard lectures from the Korean equivalents of the Librarian of Congress and the National Historian, as well as from library directors and university faculty. I was struck by the graciousness and generosity of time people in these positions showed us, who were for all intents, simply college students.

South Korea is the “most wired” country in the world with 75%+ of households having broadband access. New technology is ubiquitous, as evidenced from the myriad cybercafes to the TV cellphones often seen in use on the subway.

Only with the rapid economic development in the past few decades has South Korea been able to devote large-scale resources toward developing its library system. As a result, much of the country’s library system is relatively new. Not surprising, this development reflects the country’s penchant for technology. The National Library, for example, is working to digitize and put online every publication now produced in South Korea. Most libraries we visited have digitized at least portions of their special collections or resources unique to them, such as Seoul National University where they make available online videos of performances by their music faculty. Working under less restrictive copyright laws than in the U.S., libraries are able to work with wide latitude in the projects they undertake.

Despite the heavy use of technology in South Korea that allows for remote access to libraries, the practice of using libraries “as place” is thriving. Sookmyung University Library, for example, recently completed a beautiful $10 million renovation of its building, and the recently completed Miracle Children’s Library is the first of several slated to be built throughout the country.

While many libraries receive government support, much financial backing also comes from large corporations or other sources in the local community. The public library we visited was recently built with support from the local Buddhist temple.

The IFLA Conference was five days long and had some 5,000 attendees from around the world. In addition to the many presentations and sessions we attended, we also enjoyed special events including incredible cultural performances of dance and music and gala dinners with speeches from Kim Dae Jung (former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner). Our group also took trips to the Haeinsa Temple and we had ample time for sightseeing and wandering around Seoul.

While difficult to condense in an article, this trip offered a unique insight into another country’s library system and gave me greater appreciation for the work we do in the U.S. and at University Libraries.

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