• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.10
• /
• pp.39-70
• /
• 1983

The concept of the public library defined by the Korean Library Association does not describe the current state of the Korean public library but describes the public libraries in the western society. Korean public library was formed after the western public library but it was modified and reconciled with the tradition of Korea. The difference between the concepts occured in the acculturation process of the Korean public library. According to the International Encyclopeadia of the Social Sciences, acculturation comprehends those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous firsthand contact, with subsequent changes in the original cultural patterns of either of both groups. Korea opened its door to western world in 1876, and it began to contact with the western world. As the consequence, the concept of the public library of the West diffused to Lee Dynasty which were characterized by the confucianism and the extended family system. These two characteristics were against the public library concept and it could not function as it was and it had to be modified to fit to Korean society. The American public library was formed by the diffusion of English public library. The concept fitted in the colonial American society which was characterized by the Christianity and nuclear family system. Religion and family life were closely knitted together and they contributed much to the formation of the American public library. Also the society needed various information to form their new nation. The need of the public library grew and the public library repidly developed as the American society was urbanized and industrialized. The changes of Korean public library has passed the following process of acculturation. 1. The Korean culture contacted with Western world. 2. The public library concept diffused to Korea, but the people were illiterate and the need of the public library was for the preservation of the old books. The collection was not for people. 3. The function of the public library in Korea was altered slightly as several intellectuals who formed the first modern public library tried to literate Koreans as a means of liberation :from Japan through the library service. 4. The traditional libraries such as sodandg and hyangyo disorganized and finally disappeared as the traditional elements of the culture disappeared and the new cultural elements prevailed in Korea. 5. When the traditional elements of culture were disorganized, a reinterpretation of the diffused culture appeared. With the appearance of the vouth group which was not existed in the traditional society, cultural facilities for them were needed. They began to use public library as their reading rooms. This pattern has been institutionalized ever since in Korean public library. 6. When the new element of the culture spread, the traditional cultural elements react against this element. As the new public libraries sprung out, there were movements to restore the old Korean tradition of the family libraries and Hyangyo to counteract to the new libraries. This movements were not successful and they all disappeared as they could not keep up the rapid social change occurred in the Korean society. 7. In the process of the cultral change, cultural lag occurred between the public library and the users who could not adopt to the new library. This has been continued to the present time. 8. This diffused concept of the public library was modified and became native to Korean society. However, the acculturation of the public library concept has not changed the traditional ideas of Korean people and their behavior. The Korean society recently has been changing rapidly and the function of the Korean public library is improving accordingly; 1. The extended Korean family system is disorganizing. As the consequence, the public library could substitute the family system offering information and recreation service, etc. 2. The growth of educated population is requiring a variety of library materials. An individual library can not meet the needs of them and cooperative library service will be needed to share resources. The public library will become the center of the cooperative service. 3. The Koreans are watching TV more hours than they read printed materials. For them, the public library needs to collect audiovisual materials. Especially the teaching materials should be all audiovisualized for the effective teaching. 4. Technology is developing rapidly in Korea, especially computer technology is applied in many parts of the society. This will also influence library service. The public library will be developing as the centralized library computer system. When the Korean public library functions as the extended family system and the center of the cooperative library system, the Korean public library will be functioning as the public library defined by the Korean Library Association.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.83-103
• /
• 2013

According to the results from the recent research in Business field, the correlation between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is not strong. Based on this understanding, the first purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between public library service user satisfaction and public library service user loyalty. To achieve this purpose, the study conducted a survey of 240 public library users. The findings of this study are 1) the correlation between 'public library service user satisfaction' and 'public library service user loyalty' exists. However the strength of the correlation is moderate, 2) the correlation between 'public library service user satisfaction' and 'public library service users' intention to use new library services' is the weakest among the variables of 'public library service user loyalty', and 3) the correlation between 'public library service user satisfaction' and 'public library service users' intention to recommend library services to others is the strongest among the variables of 'public library service user loyalty'. The second purpose of this study was to find the moderator variables between public library service user satisfaction and public library service user loyalty. According to the study results, the following moderate variables are found: 1) physical accessibility, 2) lack of diversity in library service, 3) car-parking issues, 4) lack of diversity and recency in collections, and 5) lack of convenience in facilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.23
• /
• pp.263-301
• /
• 1992

In recent years, Korean public libraries, placed under changing circumstances, require that some new and positive financial policies be formulated for the improvement of their services. T he purpose of this study is to propose a scheme to ensure the revenues of Korean public libraries. The main contents of this study are as follows : (1) Public finance theory is applied to the question of why the public library is publicly supported. The public library does not contribute to stabilization, but it does playa role in each of the other public sector functions : allocation of resources and redistribution of income. In public finance terms there is justification for at least partial subsidy of public library services, which have the attributes of public goods, merit goods and externalities. (2) Public libraries in Korea find themselves suffering from limited budgets. They are neglected in national and local budgets. The lack of adequate funding for library collections prevents libraries from rendering efficient services. (3) In order to put the finances of the Korean public library system on a firm basis, the following proposals are made: 1) It is proposed that the parallel administration under which public libraries are organized be unified to be directly under the local governments. 2) It is proposed that the legislative and administrative system for public library finance be strengthened. (1) Library expenses should be itemized independently in the calculation of general grants-in-aid to local governments. (2) A fixed portion of the total municipal revenue should be appropriated for public library services. It can be executed by making provisions expressly in the annual guidelines for budgeting, municipal ordinances, or in the Library Promotion Law. The rate of allocation should be specified as a part of the national public library development plan. (3) Library tax as a local tax can be imposed. An indirect tax is preferable in order to avoid public misunderstanding and antagonism. 3) The augmentation of the specific grants-in-aid for the public library is proposed. The Library Promotion Law and the Law on Budget and Administration of Grants should be amended to oblige the central government to give financial assistance to local public libraries. 4) It is proposed that strategies to encourage private endowments be worked out. Revision of the Law on Tax Reduction and Exemption and the activation of an advisory library committee at each public library are recommended. 5) Funding and utilization of the envisioned Library Promotion Foundation is proposed. Government contributions, contributions from the Culture and Arts Foundation, and donations from individuals, corporations, and enterprises can be considered as the financial resources of the Foundation. 6) It is proposed that the structure of the Korean Library Association be consolidated to exercise greater influence over the formation of national policy on the public library system. 7) It is proposed as an ultimate guarantee of the health of the public libraries that the citizenry be educated to strongly support library services in responce to the active services provided by the public libraries.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.26
• /
• pp.479-504
• /
• 1997

This is a critical study on the information-offer-function of Korean public library among its several functions. This is not only reviewed about idealogical logical background of formulation of public library in Korea, but also reviewed about changing process o the goal of public library till the development of actual concept of modern public library. This study suggested a proper definition about actual goal of public library in Korea at present. Technocrats say the public library in the future should be both bookless and paperless library. That may mean over-interpretation on information-offer-function of public library among its several functions. When we meet information super highway era, we must not confront information dependence to advanced information countries. Thus, I suggest a way to solve the establishment of information sovereignty through public library in order to avoid the information dependence to advanced information countries.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.279-303
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to suggest public library service positioning strategies for the segmented markets according to public library service users' loyalty. To achieve the study purpose, this study conducted interview with public library users. Qualitative method was utilized to analyze the data. The following public library service positioning strategies for the both segmented groups were suggested: 1) expanding of bookmobile service and utilization of shuttle bus, 2) regular and systematic user study, 3) diversification of public library service promotion methods, 4) user survey, 5) internal marketing, 6) increasing environmental quality of public library services, and 7) provision of reading programs for preschoolers, students, and their parents.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.7
• /
• pp.177-206
• /
• 1980

Public library legislation is the essential means of providing for all the citizen in modern society with a standard public library service. We can trace the origin of that back to the Public Libraries Act 1850 in England. This paper is reviewing all the measures concerning public libraries of England since then in order to find out some guidelines for revision of the Korean Library Law enacted in 1963. Although Public Libraries Act 1850 was an output of a series of social reform movement in the 19th century, it established first the provision of public library service su n.0, pported by public funds. However the Act had several restrictions hindering public library service from making progress. These are: 1. Adoptive legislation in nature 2. Limitation of the size of population and rate income 3. Small library authorities 4. Procedure for adoption by public meeting 5. Restrictions on the ways in which rate income might be spent 6. No governmental organization to direct or control for a standardized public library service 7. No cooperative schemes among libraries. Subsequent development was directed largely to removal of those limitations. The present Public Libraries Act 1964 as a model of public library legislation was enacted on the basis of such reports as Kenyon, McColvin, Roberts, and Bourdillon. All but the problem of small library authorities were removed with this new Act. The final object could be achieved by the Local Government Act 1974 which reorganized existing 383 small authorities into new 115 ones the average population of which was 280, 000. Now, McColvin's dream of 30 years could be fulfilled in the late 70's. He argued that the minimum size of population of a viable authority should be 300, 000. Although the effect of the 1964 Act on the development of public library services in England was great, there must be some considerations as to the provisions of public library objective, government funding for library services, free use of library materials to all regardless of residence, and placement of library committee within the authority.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.61-74
• /
• 2010

By taking a bottom-up "library in the life of the user" perspective rather than a top-down "user in the life of the library" perspective, this paper uses anecdotal evidence from the past and near present to examine the multiple roles the U.S. public library plays and has played as public space in the everyday lives of its patrons. By harnessing "public sphere" theory discussed in Jurgen Habermas's THE STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE (1989) and by the examining the rich literatures on civic life and institutions that have evolved from it, the author argues that Library and Information Studies discourse has to expand its scope to include research and analysis of "library as place" from a user's perspective if it hopes to develop a deeper understanding of what the public library does for means to members of the communities in which they reside.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.23-44
• /
• 2006

This paper presents the organization structure of the Public Library System in Tamil Nadu, the first state in the Indian Republic, and brings out the growth of public libraries in Tamil Nadu after the approval of the library reorganization committee recommendations. Appraises the performance of the Public Library System in Tamil Nadu from 1975 to 2006. An analysis has been made about the nature and adequacy of the existing resources in the public library system in the state of Tamil Nadu, based on the analysis of the statistical data relating to public libraries and their use collected from the annual administration reports of the Directorate of Public Libraries, Government of Tamil Nadu. Based on the analysis and observationsa few suggestions are given for the development of public library system and services in India general and Tamil Nadu in particular.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.131-150
• /
• 2006

This study outlined the services of the P Public Library and some other libraries in California, USA for benchmarking to develop the public library services in Korea. To perform the role of public libraries and to assure the library users' supports in Korea, the development of following services are suggested in this study: 1) information services suited to information society 2) services to supply the public and lifelong education 3) services related to the cultural and artistic desires of the local community.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.25-52
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to develop a leadership competency model for Korean public library directors which could help the progress of public libraries. Complex methods like contents analysis of precedent studies, FGI with high performers, survey to librarians and directors of public libraries which were affiliated to Seoul Metropolitan Government and validation by specialists were used for this study. As a result, a leadership competency model for Korean public library directors which consists of the 19 components was developed and this model can be used as the criteria for improvement of the leadership competencies of Korean public library directors.