Korean Government Publications: Untapped Treasure Trove

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Korean Government Publications Untapped
Treasure Trove

• Myoung C. Wilson
• Social Sciences Librarian
• Chair, Information Services Group
• c/o Alexander Library
• Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey
• New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1163
• email mywilson_at_rci.rutgers.edu
• A presentation at the annual meeting of the
  Committee of Korean Materials
• Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL)
• Association of Asian Studies
• New York, NY,
• Wednesday, March 26, 2003

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Genesis of the Project

• Nature of government publications in general
• Lack of bibliographic control and access
• English speaking countries vs. non-English
  speaking countries
• A reference tool to enhance access to Korean
  materials for an English speaking audience
• Modeled after the 1990 (and 1994) American
  Library Association project
• Guide to Official Publications of Foreign
  Countries

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Research Methodology

• Adopted and revised selection criteria from the
  Guide to Official Publications of Foreign
  Countries
• Data Collection
• Initial identification of titles from the 1998
  Catalog of Government Publications
• Shelf reading/browsing at the library of the
  Korean Government Publishing Office, the National
  Library of Korea, and the National Assembly
  Library in Seoul, Korea
• North Korean Materials

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Types of Government Publications

• Three Principal Types of Publications
• Statistical Yearbooks (Mostly bilingual -- in
  Korean and English)
• Yearbooks
• White Papers (mostly in Korean)
• Publications of quango (quasi-autonomous
  non-governmental organizations)

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Access and Dissemination of Government
Publications

• Different concept of depository libraries
• Agency produced indexes and access tools
• Lack of private sector engagement in repackaging
  government publications

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Conclusion

• Accelerated activities in building digital
  libraries
• Digital libraries will enhance access to
  government publications regardless of the
  locations of the four depository libraries -- all
  located in Seoul
• Importance of an open political environment as a
  stimulant to the production, dissemination and
  use of government publications

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