• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.299-324
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• 2018

This study analyzes the processes and the needs of public library services for multicultural populations based on cooperation between public libraries and local organizations. In-depth interviews with public librarians and officers of local organizations were conducted for this case study. Result shows that cooperation was inevitable because there was not enough library personnel compared to the amount of services they have to provide, and the librarians did not have proper skills to serve the diverse populations. Public libraries were cooperating with many local organizations including the Multicultural Family Support Center. Gatekeepers of ethnic communities were playing important roles in promoting and inviting participants for library programs. Many children and young adults with immigration background gained positive views on reading and libraries after participating library programs based on cooperation between public libraries and local organizations, which was recognized as the best achievement of cooperation by many interviewees. Despite many good results of cooperation, how to get to the majority of diverse populations who are not library users yet is still a question mark. Interviewees for this study all agreed that current library service has limitations and insisted a whole new method to invite immigrants and their families to public libraries should be created.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.255-276
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• 2022

This study aims to analyze the names of public libraries in Korea to reveal the problems of naming and suggest alternatives of naming. As of the end of 2020, 937 out of 1,172 public libraries, excluding 235 libraries of the Provincial & Municipal Education Offices, were divided into three groups by library service target and operating organization, and each library name was analyzed. The study reveals that there were 8 basic types and 31 detailed types of local library names, and 5 basic types and 18 detailed types of children's and youth libraries. In the case of private libraries, it was found that there are 5 types of names. The study also reveals that there are several problems in naming, such as the use of two or three place names in one name, the use of unnecessary modifiers, and the indication of library founder and grade.