http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches Faculty, students, and friends of Simmons GSLIS report on conferences, activities, and projects around the globe. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:03:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For our final library tour we visited the Mapo Lifelong Learning Center in Seoul. This is an educational community center that is open to the public and provides various classes, study rooms, cafeterias, and exercise facilities – much like a YMCA. During the week, this center is filled with people ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/27/mapo-lifelong-learning-center/ During the first week of our trip we had the pleasure of visiting the Seoul National University Library, which serves over 16,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduates in one of the nation's largest public research universities.  [caption id="attachment_604" align="alignleft" width="185" caption="Seoul National University Library Building. Photo courtesy of the Seoul National University ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/26/seoul-national-university-library/ While it was similar to most of our public libraries, I thought Namsan had some really nice programs, including a very interesting-sounding one called "Bibliotherapy".  I love the idea of books as therapeutic and wish I could have understood a little bit more about how it worked, but unfortunately the ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/24/namsan-public-library/ Like the National Library, Yonsei was a study in technology and innovation. (Also like at the National library, I would have stayed if I could!  Luckily, we were granted temporary library cards so I spent an entire afternoon just wandering around and admiring the virtual fish pond, below). [caption id="attachment_560" align="alignleft" ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/24/yonsei-samsung-university-library/ August 14 was the last day of our academic libraries class at Yonsei University, which is a course offered by Simmons College and co-taught by Professor Claudia Morner and Professor Ji-Hong Park. The class covers the functions and challenges of academic libraries in the United States and Korea and includes ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/23/a-different-classroom-experience/ My first thought on this library is "what a wonderful place!".  I don't have children but I think I would enjoy spending time there myself. As with the other two libraries, I'm again noticing the amount of planning that goes into every detail (it's really starting to become a theme). I ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/18/national-library-for-children-and-young-adults/ This library was truly exceptional. I almost wish we had saved it for last as I suspect others (Yonsei being the exception) will likely pale in comparison.   I can't convey how impressed I was with the entire library.  The new digital library was incredible to say the least and ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/18/the-national-library-of-korea/ It’s about 85 degrees with 50 percent humidity and the GSLIS students are tearing up Yonsei University and South Korean libraries. We’ve been here for just over five days and have already visited four Korean libriaries: the National Library and Digital Library of Korea, Yonsei University Library, the National Library ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/06/greetings-from-seoul-south-korea/ I'm here in Seoul with GSLIS Adjunct Professor Claudia Morner and eight GSLIS students for the inaugural Simmons - Yonsei travel course. This has been in the works since March 2008, so it's fabulous to finally be here. Over the next two weeks, the students will take an academic libraries course, ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/08/02/claudia-meaghan-eight/ On my last day in Belarus before leaving, we visited Polotsk and Vitebsk, near the Russian border. It was a very full day. Unfortunately, due to a hard drive incident, my pictures of this day are lost. Peter Lapo and I were driven by a young man to Polotsk. While ... http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2009/07/30/polotsk-and-vitebsk/