Tae-Joon Park Library Reopened
Tae-Joon Park Library Reopened
  • reporter Park Jee-won
  • 승인 2021.05.18 03:32
  • 댓글 0
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▲Tae-Joon Park Library, renovated
▲Tae-Joon Park Library, renovated

 

 

On April 19, the Tae-Joon Park Library re-opened after a year of renovation. The reopening ceremony was held on the fifth floor of the library using the newly established media wall. Approximately 100 people attended the event, including President Moo Hwan Kim, donors of the library, and the University Administration Council. Also present were Kyungpook National University Library officials and Handong University Professor Songhee You, who gave advice and help on the library renovation.

Renovation Status
The library reduced about 100,000 volumes of books that were not commonly used to secure room for the renovation. These books mainly included journals also available on the Internet. The books have been donated to local libraries and POSTECH members in need.
The library newly designed the second to fifth floors following the theme of “Communication and Rest”. The most noticeable change in the renovation is the fifth floor. “Fun & Play Zone” and “Relax Zone”, where visitors can play, were newly created. The “Fun & Play Zone” is equipped with games such as table soccer so that visitors to the library can enjoy and rest for a while. In the “Relax Zone”, beanbags and comics are prepared for library users to lie down and relax. 
The renovation was carried out in a way that could accommodate the diverse needs of Postechians. There is a “Collaboration Zone” and learning nooks on the third and fourth floors. In the “Collaboration Zone”, noise is permitted, which breaks the stereotype of quiet libraries. Users can study together and exchange opinions here. The lack of room to study was a common complaint in the library before renovation. Accordingly, during the renovation, learning nooks that secure personal spaces were established. The increase in learning space is expected to solve the problem of the lack of learning space.
In addition, a studio equipped with filming devices, a control room, and an editing room were established in the library. 

Operation Plan of the Library
The library renovation is not over yet. Several humanities books will be moved to the second floor. In addition, a cultural space will be built by the second half of the year and cultural events like “Humanities on the Road” will be held for both POSTECH members and the residents of Pohang. Jiyeon Han, the Director of Academic Information Resources, said, “Many libraries are changing to serve as complex cultural spaces. We wanted to make the library a place that serves as a community center, not just a place to read books.” Also, the Admissions office will be relocated to the second floor. The plan is to make residents visiting the library become more interested in POSTECH. 
Currently, entering the library is restricted to off-campus visitors. However, the library will open to everyone when social distancing rules are lifted. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, visitors will be able to access the library with a daily pass without any additional applications in advance.
“I hope many visitors use the library with a sense of responsibility so that the renovated library can remain neat,” director Han said.