Today, public libraries are not limited to their traditional function of the simple provision information such the collection, storage and delivery of information, but they are required to take on a role as a comprehensive cultural space that serves a...
Today, public libraries are not limited to their traditional function of the simple provision information such the collection, storage and delivery of information, but they are required to take on a role as a comprehensive cultural space that serves as the center of the local community that accommodates all local residents including the elderly, children and house wives.
Therefore, public libraries should ensure convenient accessibility and the opportunity to use its facilities to all of its users, and they must satisfy the intellectual and cultural needs of local residents by developing comfortable and pleasant facilities and diverse programs. This will eventually lead to the enhanced development of the individual and, through the reduction in the gap in knowledge and information among the public, it will contribute to the integration of society and increase national competitiveness.
The number of openings of public libraries, which gradually increased after the declaration of the 1994 UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, have started to rapidly increase after 2006. In 2011, the total number of public libraries throughout Korea amount to 759 libraries, and 300 of such libraries opened prior to the declaration of the 1994 UNESCO Public Library Manifesto and its facilities are in very poor conditions. As the social paradigm changes and the public's needs with respect to libraries become more and more diversified, the number of users have increased and the age group and sex of users have changed with respect to newly constructed public libraries, but the use rate of existing public libraries that only provide basic spatial functions and offer poor accessibility have relatively decreased. The expansion of public libraries centered around new town areas or development areas have brought about an imbalance between regions, and areas with poor library facilities which represent the intellectual, informative and cultural level of such area naturally becomes a slum area. This is not just a phenomenon that appears in one area, but it is an occurrence that is steadily appearing throughout the nation. Thus, it is important to conduct studies from various angles to develop and promote the use of such local public libraries.
As a result, this study analyzes the changes in the construction of space of public libraries based upon the changes in society and the characteristics of such space. It also attempts to relieve the gap in knowledge and information between different regions by applying such analysis results to the remodeling of local public libraries that have low use rates and worn out facilities and offers plans to use public libraries as multi-cultural facilities that can provide many different information data and cultural contents. The purpose of this study is to satisfy the intellectual and cultural needs of individuals through the active use and development of public libraries, and increase the cultural value of local areas based on the attainment of knowledge and information to enhance the competitiveness of the local community and the country.