NEW ADDITION. The National Library of Korea chose the Ateneo to host a collection of Korean books, periodicals and DVDs. The collection will be expanded annually. Photo by Raisa M. Tumbocon.

THE RIZAL Library is the first recipient of the “Window on Korea” collection in the country, as chosen by the National Library of Korea (NLK). The launch was held last August 29.

A press release sent to The GUIDON said that the project is meant for “promoting and building better understanding of Korea through partnerships with leading libraries around the world.”

University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ said, “This event was born out of understanding and desire. The university is always opening the windows of the minds and the hearts of the students.”

Initially, the collection will have 2,000 library materials, such as books, periodicals and DVDs. In the next five years, 200 to 300 volumes will be added annually.

NLK provided furniture and equipment, like bookshelves and computers, for the collection. The latter are directly connected to NLK and can be used to download full text databases from the National Digital Library of Korea.

Rizal Library Director Lourdes David said that the Rizal Library’s Asian collection is enhanced because of the Window on Korea collection.

Randolf Mariano, coordinator for Library and Research of the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines, said that the Rizal Library’s Window on Korea collection is different from the similarly named one at the National Library of the Philippines, which was funded by the National Congress of Korea.

Beyond Hallyu

During the launch, Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Hye Min Lee stressed the importance of education and the need to invest in learning materials to develop and maximize a student’s potential.

Mariano also said that the Window on Korea collection would properly introduce the Korean culture to Filipinos.

“I guess the partnership will boost the understanding of Korea here in the academe as well [because], as we all know, the Hallyu [the Korean Wave] is getting larger.”

Rizal Library Assistant to the Director for Special Programs and Events Karryl Kim Sagun echoed this sentiment.

“For our clients, of course they will better see the different facets of the Korean culture,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Apart from that, we have a lot of Korean students also, so probably it will bring them a sense of home inside the Rizal Lib.”

Junior Sasha Hawkins said that she is glad that the Window on Korea collection occupies a space in the library.

“I have a lot of friends who are K-Pop fans and they want to learn about the language, culture. It’s going to be really helpful that Ateneo has this now since we can learn about it in an academic setting and beyond K-Pop,” she said.

The collection is also expected to contribute to Philippine-Korean interaction. Korean language instructor Sarah Lipura said, “[The] collection will promote better the understanding of Korea as our neighbor and longtime ally and thus contribute to the strengthening of [Philippine-Korean] relations.”

David said that the Window on Korea collection would help Ateneans in their studies. “It’s also for students who will study or go abroad. You need to get acquainted with the country that you’re going to visit, and if you want to go to Korea, we have the materials here.”

Lipura said, “I’ve heard from my students that whenever they come to the library and look for books and dictionaries in Korean, they can’t find anything. So now, we have… 2,000 [titles in the] collection of Korean studies resources.”

She added that the collection could boost Korean studies. “It can raise the status of Ateneo as a pioneer in establishing Korean studies programs in the Philippines.”

Building the window

Mariano said that the opening of the Window on Korea collection at the Rizal Library all started with the bidding.

“They send a PR officer to all embassies in Southeast Asia telling them that the National Library of Korea has an intention to put a Korean collection in leading libraries,” he said, adding that the Philippines bested Vietnam and Thailand this year.

After that, Mariano surveyed all over the country to find leading libraries where the collection could be set up. Upon his recommendation, the public relations team of NLK chose from the libraries of the top four universities in the Philippines.

“They saw that the website of the Rizal Library was quite dynamic. And then they saw also that [Rizal Library] has a new building and facilities to provide, so they thought that it would be better to put the collection in the Ateneo,” Mariano said.

The materials that comprise the initial collection was picked by the KCC. Mariano said that they selected a lot of documentaries, films and materials containing general information about Korea. Some materials deal with the business and economy, which are relevant in Korean studies.

In the succeeding years, the selection of the materials will be up to the Rizal Library.

Expansion

Resulting from the launch of the Window on Korea collection is the possibility for greater collaboration.

“Eventually, we hope that would grow into something bigger, like a program or a center, and that’s a very important part of sharing cultures,” said Vice President for the Loyola Schools John Paul Vergara.

Sagun had similar thoughts. “We’re hoping that it will grow into something like the American Historical [Collection].”

David had suggested putting up a “Window on the Philippines” at the NLK. “We can, so we might do it… digitally so as not to be costly,” she said.