Happy Friday from Seoul where I am writing to you from the future! We are so happy it is the weekend and are ready to make the most of our only/last weekend in Seoul. Tonight we are planning on visiting the National Theater of Korea for a free outdoor music and dance show outside at the cultural plaza, and then head over to Itaewan to check out the “Hof” – Korean bars and nightlife. Hooray for the weekend!
First though, I’d like to update you about our amazing tour of the Yonsei University Samsung Library. All I can see is that we are WAY behind in the states technology wise in terms of our libraries. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an impressive high-tech library before that is actually easy to use and ALWAYS packed full of students. Our hosts were nice enough to make us library cards so we could utilize this wonderful facility while staying here on campus. I definitely see a return trip in my future. I think we were all equally impressed. No one had ever seen a library that had a full multimedia center complete with video equipment and recording booths with a blue screen. Incredible! Here are some photos:
This was a station of flatscreens in the “Ubiquitous Commons” that display newspapers from around the world! They have so many international students at Yonsei that the have computers, newspapers, and e-readers in several different languages. Our tour guide took us to the Boston Herald…..funny to see this in a Seoul library – Tom Brady!
Tom Brady in Korea!
Getting a demonstration on how to use the international digital newspapers:
The international PC Hub with computers in different languages for the international students:
Jen checking it out!
Lisa is clearly impressed!
The digital e-readers in the Commons:
Also in the Ubiquitous Commons is this awesome bench that doubles as an interactive digital koi pond:
Our friends showing us how to make the fish swim.
We were far too amused by this….
This a shot of the Ubiquitous Commons leading up to the study floors:
Fancy!
The Memoboard below is place for students to post to their friends, ad lost & found memos, post events, and see what is happening around campus. Of course it is touch screen, and super cool!
A message from Yonsei to Simmons College!
This was the message our guide posted on her personal board – so sweet!
Lisa really loved this library!
After visiting the Commons area, where you reserve study desks on a digital kiosk using your Yonsei ID card (SO cool), we went upstairs to check out the different study spaces:
Private conference rooms for group presentations.
Using the technology in the conference rooms.
Balcony shot from the study floors.
Multimedia booths to watch Blu-rays and edit sound and video- what?!
Editing booth – not something you find at your typical library.
I wouldn’t even know how to use this!
This way to Lisa Hussey’s Library Management class!
You can check out Blu-rays here – whoa.
This is where things get wild – we got to check out the recording studios….in the library….of a university…WHOA!
About to show us the most fancy room I’ve ever seen in a school library!
Just your typical library blue screen room equipped with high-def video cameras.
The control booth for the recording studio.
Laura is super impressed – so am I.
We watched a library overview video in their movie theater that screens movies every night for the students free of charge:
Pink theater seats
Yonsei University Samsung Library!
After our tour, we grabbed some waffles and vanilla almond bubble teas on the rooftop terrace:
They love waffles with Ice Cream in Korea.
Perfect view from the library terrace.
Laura found a lovely new spot to study at the library!
Our tour was wonderful – and afterwards our friend Sun-ah Key, a student in Lisa’s Management class and a librarian at Yonsei University Samsung Library, gave an excellent lecture on the history of library management in Korean libraries and the future plans for their library. We definitely learned a lot and got a great tour of one of the most cutting edge libraries in the world!