The public libraries have expanded their functions as a regional complex center: from the traditional role of providing information and service of books to cultural events, education, and formation of regional community for the all various residents. ...
The public libraries have expanded their functions as a regional complex center: from the traditional role of providing information and service of books to cultural events, education, and formation of regional community for the all various residents. Accordingly, it is necessary to change the space composition of libraries to adapt for the need of complex function and newly changed information environment.
In this paper, it is emphasized that the space composition of newly planned public libraries should take these changes into considerations, and should consider the complex function of the libraries for the systematic and rational operations.
The purpose of this research is to scrutinize the operation standards of national and international public libraries and examine the national and international cases in order to present space composition system for effective operation.
The recommended standards for the national public library building areas to space ratio is that space for books is 35.73%, space for users is 27.23%, space for office work is 10.61%, public space is 26.43%.
According to the recommended standards for the population of the volunteer to the space area is that for each one thousand people, below 50 thousands is more than 40㎡, from 50 thousands to below 100thousands is more than 37㎡, from 100thousands to below 200thousands is more than 33㎡, from 200thousands to below 500thousands is more than 28㎡, from 500thousands to below 2milion is more than 25㎡, and more than 2milion is more than 24㎡.
Although above mentioned two standards are different, if two recommended standards are appropriately mixed when the library is built, the space composition can be calculated without any problems. First of all, space area can be selected and then average areas can be calculated in accordance with the standard of population of volunteers. The rest of areas can be calculated with approximate necessary areas through ratio.
After precise scrutiny of the case of national public library, some factors are revealed. The portion of general reading part has been reduced; on the contrary, the portions of education/assembly part, service part, and complex cultural space have been increased. In particular, nonbook materials such as electronic information and multi media have been increased, and computer room and other management part have been increased as well.
As a result of careful case study of international public library, it indicates that the public libraries should embrace digital programs reflected diversity of mass media, and integrate with diversified spaces reflecting the growing importance of communication, and also expand the service role of library for the public users.
This research scrutinizes the factors of space composition of public library and examines the standard of space operation. Furthermore, it examines current condition of space operation, and reveals the problems in order to present space composition system for rational operation. This research is meaningful in the sense that it provides basic materials at the planning stage of the new public libraries in order to have an effective and rational space operation by providing trend of space changes in public libraries and reconstructing space system.