United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library

Workshop participants at Suwon Campus UniversityWorkshop on Accessing UN Information and Documentation for Depository Librarians in the Republic of Korea, 23-25 May 2006, Kyung Hee University, Suwon Campus, Yongin

 
 
View photographs of the Workshop
 


As the first partnership project between the Department of Public Information (DPI) and Kyung Hee University (KHU), three staff members of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library (DHL) conducted a Workshop on Accessing UN Information and Documentation for Librarians in the Republic of Korea.

The Participants:
9 depository libraries – 24 librarians
(17 depository librarians and 7 librarians from other universities in Korea).

Goals of the Workshop:

  • Enhance effectiveness of the UN depository libraries in the Republic of Korea
  • Upgrade librarians’ technical skills
  • Identify common problems as perceived by local librarians
  • Create a model for workshop in other countries to host similar training.

Round-Table and Group Discussions:

  • New directions of depository libraries
    • Provide leadership in publicizing United Nations documents, publications and training users
    • Active participation in promoting global issues on the UN agenda, the Millennium Development Goals, UN conferences, events, international years and decades

  • Future role of the UN depository libraries
    • Serve as important focal points for outreach activities of the United Nations at the local level

  • Proposed action plan for outreach activities of depository libraries:
    • Briefings on the UN collection during student orientation sessions
    • Promotion of the use of United Nations documents and publications for teaching
    • Posting information on the UN collection on the Internet/Intranet
    • Preparation of brochures and user guides for the UN collection
    • Conducting training in the UN website searching and use of UN databases
    • Round-table meetings and seminars on UN-related issues
    • Translation of important UN documents in local language(s)
    • Cooperation with UNIC/UNDP offices, other UN agencies in the country

  • Challenges that Korean depository librarians are facing:
    • Making people interested in the UN documentation
    • Lack of recognition (low status of the librarian’s profession)
    • Excessive mobility of staff (depository librarians are required to move to other sections of the library every two years)
    • Lack of expertise in the UN documentation
    • Poor knowledge of users
    • Lack of training opportunities
    • Shortage of space
    • Budget cuts

  • Opportunities for depository librarians in Korea:
    • Create an Online Association of Depository Librarians in the Republic of Korea
    • Transform depository libraries in the UN resource centres in the country
    • Organize UN documentation training for users, media centres, non-governmental organizations
    • Provide UN information, support outreach activities, promote UN-related issues
    • Organize UN Cyber-cafes
    • Cooperate with the network of United Nations libraries
    • Develop partnership with the Outreach Support Unit of the DHL
    • Propose an official internship program at the DHL