KOREA FOUNDATION

KF Library Internship

I am currently responsible for selecting and ordering the titles to be purchased by Langson Library at the University of California, Irvine. I am also learning the duties of the library information desk. In addition to books, I regularly manage the library’s collection of films on DVD. I select titles based on various criteria, such as old titles versus recent titles, titles related to specific subjects, and international film festival winners. Recently, I have been reviewing 30 microfilm reels on Korean census surveys and compiling an index to outline the region and information covered in each item, for more convenient access.
   In addition to my work duties, I attend various events and seminars at the library. I’ve sat in on the library orientation for newly admitted international students as well as writing workshops taught by the librarians. In October, I attended a forum at the KF Los Angeles Office that provided an overview of the current status of Korean Studies and Korean-American Studies. In addition, I visited UCLA, where the Korean Studies librarian, Mr. Sanghun Cho, gave me a tour of the various libraries there, including the East Asian library, the economics library, the law library, and the archival studies library.
   Langson Library recently created a new section for Korean books that includes 158 volumes, including books in Korean, Korea-related books in English, and even comic books. There are also seven selected DVD series that can only be purchased from Korean sites. Library users can have a broader view of Korea’s culture and traditions, not to mention the lives of the Korean people, through these resources and materials on Korea.

•   University of California, Irvine, USA
•   Sohn Hyein