Part 1: Introduction & Orientation at Campus Library

• Welcome by Campus Library director Monika Schade
• Quick round of introductions
• Tour through Campus Library

Part 2: User focused services and challenges in your library; examples
from Freie Universität Berlin & the ENKRS community

• Input-talk about user-focused services and ways of working at the Freie
  Universität Berlin, University Library / Campus Library (Theresa Pak,
  Liliane Sperr, Cosima Wagner)
• Examples from the ENRKS community regarding communication and
  outreach, user satisfaction, tutorials, creating new services,
  discoverability of resources etc.

Part 3: Session Troubleshooting Korean studies specialists' questions

• Troubleshooting Korean studies specialist questions for "accidental
  Korean Studies Librarians"
• Closing

The State of Korean Studies in Berlin
 

Prof. Eun-Jeung LEE
Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

This presentation offers an overview of the current landscape of Korean Studies in Berlin, including institutional structures, research strengths, teaching programmes, and collaborations across universities and cultural institutions. It situates Berlin within the broader European context and reflects on opportunities and challenges for the field, including student demand, funding structures, and the role of libraries and collections in supporting Korean Studies scholarship.
Q&A

An Experiment with AI-Driven Preservation and Discovery at the National Library of Korea
 

SoYeon PARK
National Library of Korea, Republic of Korea

The National Library of Korea holds approximately 110,000 analog multimedia items, of which 94% are stored on magnetic tape—a format now at end-of-life and increasingly without functional playback equipment. Beyond physical deterioration, these materials face a secondary barrier: existing metadata records offer no support for content-, speaker-, or segment-level search, leaving even successfully digitized items difficult to discover or use in practice. To address both challenges, the Library conducted in-house experiments using OpenAI Whisper to extract text from audiovisual recordings and analyze recognition errors across multiple content types. Preprocessing and model refinement raised overall accuracy from roughly 12% to 82%, revealing consistent patterns in hallucination errors and performance variation by content type. These findings informed the adoption of STT technology from ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) for operational deployment; under ETRI's system, lecture and presentation recordings achieved recognition accuracy of up to 97.2%. In parallel, a pilot RAG-based contextual search system is being developed to explore how the extracted text might support richer retrieval. This study offers a practical account of what becomes possible once digitized content is treated as usable data, and provides groundwork for future improvements in non-book audiovisual preservation and access services.
Q&A

Developing the K-pop Fandom Collection at Harvard-Yenching Library
 

Mikyung KANG
Harvard-Yenching Library, Harvard University, United States

In support of Professor Bu's new course, "Korean Stars," Harvard-Yenching Library started to develop the collection of K-pop fandom goods materials in 2024. This includes a variety of items such as fanlights (lightsticks), fandom goods, photo books, posters, and audio-visual materials from concerts and performances of prominent K-pop idol groups. The collection is intended to serve as both teaching resources and an archive of K-pop historical materials, ranging from first-generation idol groups of the 1990s to those of the present day. This presentation illustrates detailed developing process from the beginning to organizing and preparing a collection viewing session and exhibit for the class students.
Q&A

Digital Horizons: Sharing the Ttakchibon Collection
 

Ogcheong AHN & Jisu HAN
Collège de France, France

The library of Korean Studies at the Collège de France is a dedicated space for Korean scholarship, housing over 30,000 volumes on ancient and modern Korea covering a wide range of subjects. The library holds a rare collection of ttakchibon, a vibrant genre of popular fiction that emerged in the early 1910s and flourished throughout the 1920s and 1930s. In this presentation, we will introduce the ttakchibon collection and our ongoing efforts to make it accessible online. To this end, we have organized an experimental hybrid exhibition dedicated to ttakchibon, bridging the gap with the public. By combining the physical holdings with digital technologies, we aim to transform the traditional viewing experience into a new digital horizon that makes the ttakchibon collection more accessible and allows visitors to freely explore Korea’s early modern fiction.
Q&A

Modernizing North Korean Resources
 

Sanghun CHO
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), United States

This presentation aims to introduce North Korean resources that are held at libraries and archives in North America excluding collections at the Library of Congress and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Especially, the presentation focuses on the collection development effort of North Korean resources at the East Asian Library of University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and it showcases a text search tool of North Korean newspapers developed at the library. One of the most utilized materials in historical research about North Korea is Nodong sinmun. As the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, the Nodong sinmun is the largest daily newspaper in North Korea. It contains articles that provide a glimpse into the North Korean government's positions on domestic and international matters, as well as insights into internal affairs. In the past, researchers studying North Korea had to consult the newspaper issues through microfilmed copies of the Nodong sinmun. By the mid-2010s, digitized versions of the newspaper became accessible through several academic libraries in Korea and North America. This PDF version of Nodong sinmun was easier to use compared to the microfilm version. However, researchers still had to read each issue of the newspaper and go through the process of scanning or printing to organize newspaper articles for their studies. In order to improve this research environment of North Korean studies, a computer-based tool has been developed which enables researchers to conduct keywords search in Nodong Sinmun issues from 1945 to 1993.

The influence of the Korean music in the activities of „Octavian Goga" Cluj County Library
 

Marian SUCIU
„Octavian Goga" Cluj County Library, Romania

The Korean music, in general, and the K-pop bands, in particular, are the main reasons for the current popularity of Korean culture in the world. As the Korean Wave has also reached Romania, some public libraries have begun offering various workshops to help teenagers gain a deeper understanding of Korea's distinctive culture. Among Romanian public libraries, the „Octavian Goga" Cluj County Library stands out for its Korean collection at the "Traian Brad" branch, as well as for the development of Korean language and cultural programs for children, teenagers, and adults. Within the program "Discover the Asian cultures: Korea", teenagers especially enjoy the workshops dedicated to Korean music. During these activities, they learn about the evolution of Korean music by analysing various older or newer songs, as well as by crafting small-scale traditional musical instruments. Encouraged by the positive reception of these activities on Korean music, the librarians have also prepared a separate series of workshops focused on Korean traditional music. During these activities, teenagers have the opportunity to experience and learn how to play the traditional Korean drum (Janggu).
Q&A

Tracing Lives Across Collections: AI-assisted Biographical Narratives in Korean American Archives
 

Jungeun HONG
University of Southern California, United States

This presentation examines how AI can improve access to dispersed archival collections by bringing related materials into coherent relationship with one another. It draws on a range of sources—not only the Korean American Digital Archive (KADA), but also KNA building records, photograph collections, oral histories, and subject files—to explore how these materials can be understood within a broader biographical context. Rather than treating each collection as separate, the project approaches them as interconnected layers. AI supports this process by linking related materials, organizing them temporally, and offering light contextual guidance. The project also considers extending these connections into a teaching tool for K–12 educators to support classroom engagement with primary sources.
Q&A

Before Koreatown: The Earliest Koreans in Chicago and the University of Chicago
 

Audrey CHUN
University of Chicago, United States

This presentation, "Before Koreatown: The Earliest Koreans in Chicago and the University of Chicago," examines the little-known history of Korean presence in Chicago prior to the emergence of what is now recognized as Koreatown(s). It reconstructs the experiences and lives of a small but significant group of Korean visitors with a mission, students, sojourners, and migrants who laid the earliest foundations of the community. By drawing on archival sources and institutional records, the presentation highlights how these early actors navigated academic, social, and cultural environments, and considers how their presence has been preserved, overlooked, or fragmented within library and archival collections.
Q&A

An Overview of the University of Michigan Library and Its AI Strategies
 

Yunah SUNG
University of Michigan, United States

The University of Michigan Library is one of the largest academic research libraries in the United States, supported by approximately 450 librarians and staff. This presentation outlines how the library and the wider university are responding to rapid developments in generative AI through coordinated strategy, infrastructure, and community-building. It introduces institutionally supported tools such as U-M GPT, as well as broader guidance frameworks that address issues of equity, accessibility, and privacy. The session also highlights internal initiatives, including cross-unit collaboration, shared documentation, and pilot services such as a library chatbot and AI-focused research guides. Together, these efforts demonstrate how academic libraries can support responsible, creative, and effective AI use across teaching and research environments.
Q&A

The Rebirth of Korean Academic Libraries in the AI Era: Elevating the Role of Librarian Expertise
 

Jinhan JUNG
The Korea University & College Library Association, Republic of Korea

As Artificial Intelligence reshapes the global academic landscape, South Korean university libraries are undergoing a profound transformation. This presentation explores the "rebirth" of these institutions as intelligent academic commons, moving beyond traditional collection-centered models toward AI-driven services and environments. Drawing on case studies such as Seoul National University’s LikeSNU and Sungkyunkwan University’s KingoGPT, the talk demonstrates how semantic search, AI agents, and integrated digital-physical ("phygital") infrastructures are redefining research support and user experience. At the same time, it argues that the core of this transformation lies in human expertise. Librarians are evolving from information gatekeepers into strategic partners in research and education, with increasing emphasis on AI literacy, ethical implementation, and user-centered design.

Vendor presentations + booth visits

1. KEPlatform
2. Kong & Park
3. Nurimedia
4. NK Pro
5. Media Korean Studies
6. Panmun

Testing Alma’s Metadata AI Assistant for Cataloging Korean Materials: A Michigan Library Case Study
 

Myung Hee KIM
University of Michigan, United States

This presentation presents a case study evaluating the effectiveness of the Alma Metadata Editor AI Assistant in supporting the cataloging of Korean-language materials within an academic library environment. Conducted over a six-month period within the University of Michigan Library, the project compares AI-assisted cataloging in a sandbox environment with standard production workflows. The study examines issues of accuracy, efficiency, and applicability across different types of materials, and reflects on the implications for cataloging practice. Rather than advocating for full implementation, the presentation proposes a framework for supported and voluntary use, emphasizing the importance of librarian oversight and informed decision-making in the adoption of AI tools.
Q&A

Cataloging Practices for Korean Language Materials in Europe: A Second Survey
 

Arjan VAN DER WERF
KU Leuven Libraries – Artes, Belgium
 

This presentation reports on the results of a second survey examining cataloging practices for Korean-language materials across European institutions.
Q&A

Cancelled

Information Literacy Tutorials for Korean Studies students and AI: two semesters at Leiden University Libraries
 

Nadia Kreeft-Mishkovskyi
Leiden University Libraries, The Netherlands

This presentation explores the gradual integration of AI tools into information literacy instruction for Korean Studies students at Leiden University. Initially approached with caution, AI was introduced in response to changing student practices and a clear need to support students in the early stages of their research process. Drawing on two semesters of teaching experience, the session examines how AI can be used in a controlled and transparent way, particularly in topic exploration and source discovery. At the same time, it foregrounds the limitations and risks of these tools, emphasizing the importance of critical engagement. The presentation reflects on what works in practice and highlights the role of librarians in guiding responsible and effective use of AI in academic research.
Q&A

Integration, Inclusiveness, Innovation: Launching the East Asian Manuscripts and Rare Books Catalogue at the Bodleian Libraries
 

Chien-Wei Pan
Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University

This presentation explores the developments of the East Asian Manuscripts and Rare Books catalogue at the Bodleian Libraries, a new platform designed to enhance discovery and access to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Manchu rare
collections. Drawing upon a decade of cataloguing, digitisation, conservation, and public engagement, the project reflects how heritage collections can be repositioned for global scholarship through inclusive metadata practices, digital infrastructure, and cross-cultural collaboration. The talk will discuss both institutional strategy and practical challenges in making rare East Asian materials more visible, searchable, and meaningful to diverse communities of researchers and library users.
Q&A

Wrap-up discussion: Heritage and Horizons — from historical collections to the age of AI

This closing session reflects on the key themes of the workshop, including the impact of AI on Korean Studies librarianship, evolving collection strategies, and the changing role of librarians. Drawing on the presentations and discussions from the previous days, participants are invited to identify shared challenges, emerging practices, and opportunities for future collaboration within the ENKRS network.

General Assembly (ENKRS members only) 

• Minutes of the board meeting
• ENKRS 2027 and beyond
• Any other matters.