• 한국문헌정보학회지
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.297-308
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• 2011

This paper discusses the current situation of public libraries in Korea, from the viewpoint of Ranganathan's 'Five Laws of Library Science'. Public libraries have very rapidly grown in Korea in the past ten years. With an average growth rate of 5.8% per year, the number of public libraries reached to 703 in 2009, and the number of people served per library have gradually reduced every year, even if still far below other advanced countries. However, there are still some attempts to retrain people of their right to read whatever they want. In this paper, it is emphasized that in public libraries more attention and financial and strategic assistance should be given to the disadvantaged people, and the equal right to benefit from library services should be ensured. And the library as a growing organism should be balanced with the responsible library director, devoted librarians, and concerned people in the community.