POSTECH’s first library was inaugurated in 1986, where Mueunjae Memorial Hall currently stands. This library has supported the research and education of Postechians for 17 years. The current Tae-Joon Park Digital Library opened in 2003, and 17 years have passed since its opening. The Tae-Joon Park Digital Library has served as a state-of-the-art library and has supported scientific research and the technical development of students and faculty of POSTECH. However, over the years the facilities and equipment of the library have aged, and to cope with the change of the needs of library users, POSTECH has planned a complete renovation of the library this summer. The renovation will be completed from July to September, and the reopening is scheduled for October.
According to the current plan, the fifth floor will be transformed into a complex for creativity and cooperation. There will be a creator space where media content can be produced and edited, a collaborative space for personal interaction and knowledge exchange, a space for students of the Mueunjae School of Undergraduate Studies, and a space for student convenience. The third and fourth floors will mainly be allocated for academics, and there will be a quiet zone. Study carrels for individual study space will be expanded, and noise neutralization devices are to be installed. The second floor will serve as a space shared with the local community for municipal affairs, openness, and interactivity. It will hold book curations with a focus on humanities and culture. It will also function as a cultural space where exhibitions, cafes, and performances will be shared with local citizens.
However, the renovation plan has not been finalized yet, and POSTECH is trying to capture the opinions of its members through the Smart Library Idea Contest. This contest is currently underway and is being held to reflect Postechian's ideas in the library remodeling and to build a smart library that features a few of the unique characteristics of our university. The contest consists of three stages. The first stage was a pre-idea post-it contest. It was an event to post-it the problems of the current library and ideas to improve it. It was conducted both online and offline, from April 20 to May 8. The following stage was the Smart Library Online Idea Marathon. The preliminary round was conducted by submitting ideas on a single A4 page. After receiving feedback from the staff, the main competition was held on May 29 by presenting the ideas remotely using live streaming. In the third and final stage, Postechians will vote on the renovation idea they prefer amongst all ideas that passed the second stage. The voting will be held until June 5, and voting alone will give participants a chance to win prizes.