Libraries and Librarianship in Korea

The world has comparatively little knowledge of the Republic of Korea, and only in recent years has the West acquired a knowledge of Korean society and culture. So too, Korean librarianship has been a largely obscure topic. There has been little previous effort to inform the international library community about libraries and librarianship in Korea, and even interested scholars have had trouble obtaining information. This book is the first informative, comprehensive guide to the topic.

The volume describes the present state of library development and library services available at the various types of libraries in the Republic of Korea, along with the historical backgrounds of the country and librarianship. Also included are discussions of the activities related to bibliographic control, professional associations and training, and library automation. By examining the operations of some representative libraries, the book further demonstrates how Korean librarianship is a mix of American librarianship and Chinese and Japanese cultural influences.

Author Biography

PONGSOON LEE is Director of the Library at the Korea Social Science Library in Seoul. She studied librarianship in the United States, and was formerly a Professor and Librarian at Ewha Womans University. She has published several articles on librarianship in Korea, as well as books of poems and essays.

YOUNG AI UM is Professor in the Department of Library Science at Hyosung Women’s University in Korea. She completed her graduate work in librarianship in the United States and the United Kingdom and presently specializes in library education and management.