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Education IT

First dedicated digital library opens in Korea

By Kelly Ng | 4 June 2009

The world’s first purposed-built digital library with the largest dedicated space for users to access online content opened this week.

The US$100 million “Dibrary” aims to build an archive of blogs and web sites of historical significance. In the 38,014 square meter building are 626 computers, 380,000 digitalised books, a digital study room for 252 users, ten million pieces of local academic information, 34 million items of data on local government policy, and 72 million resources from more 700 libraries.

“There are digital libraries around the world which provide online data and information. However, this library is the first with an actual physical space set apart so that users can come and use all kinds of digital equipment to search for data,” says Mo Chul-min, Director, National Digital Library.

Besides providing large TV screening rooms – where users can watch internet protocol television or choose from the 250,000 video resources – Dibrary has a user created content studio equipped with camcorders, computers, lighting facilities. It also provides training for users to produce, edit and view their own videos.

The library is attempting to attract non-Korean users with a “multi-culture zone” containing 24 computers with operating systems that support major foreign languages.

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