• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.125-145
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• 2014

As Korea becomes a multi-cultural society, Korean government ministries are enforcing various multi-cultural services. Especially, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which is in charge of public libraries, is operating multi-cultural services for cultural diversity. The trends in the research on the multi-cultural services in public libraries, however, are rather on adaptation of the multi-cultural people in Korea than on the cultural diversity. In this exploratory study, we investigated the perception of local residences on multi-cultural library services with several in-depth interviews with the local residences not only for the adaptation but also for the cultural diversity. The results shows that they tended to regard public libraries as an institution of local life-long education, and then they think public libraries can take a role for coping with social adaptation and prevention of social problems in terms of multi-cultural population. Based on the results, public libraries would better consider to inform their roles in this multi-cultural society to their local residences based not only on adaptation but also on cultural diversity. For this, the libraries would develop programs, in which both multi-cultural and non-multi-cultural people can be participated, to encourage communication between them.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.77-100
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• 2014

This study aims to investigate the perception of public library users, who are local residences, on the multi-cultural services in public libraries using a series of statistical analyses on a questionnaire survey. The objectives of multi-cultural policies by Korean government are to foster assimilation of the multi-cultural people, social unification of Korean (local) communities, and cultural diversity in the communities. The results from the analyses show that the multi-cultural services in public libraries are understood from the unification and assimilation point of views, and that the perception of the multi-cultural services in public libraries is affected by the libraries' marketing activities, such as advertisements and participation. For the sustainable provision of the services, we suggest that the libraries would better consider 1) multi-oriented services with cultural diversity, assimilation, and social unification, 2) relationship with other multi-cultural agencies in a community, and 3) the perception of local residences on the services in public libraries.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.27-39
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• 2011

This study analyzed the policy of culture welfare in libraries for the information alienated groups. This study suggested several improvements as a conclusion. Research analyzed organizational tasks and policies for Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Planning Group for Library and Information Policy and the policies for libraries. First, library service for alienated class was centered in short term period projects. Second, it is hardware oriented such as building small libraries, places for disabled person, multi-cultural libraries. Due to the decentralization of policies for the groups with alienated information, and lack of public supportive policies for private library for the disabled, developing cooperative system is difficult. Third, we revealed that policies for quantitative production of alternative material were achieved. So, this study suggested professional policy in integrative cooperation in accordance with each domain and creation of a separate welfare library policy department and its activity.