The transformation of the Science and Engineering Library 

as part of KU’s endeavor to build a smart campus

The new library is designed to facilitate the integration of the humanities and science.

The newly remodeled Science and Engineering Library was finally unveiled to the public.

The opening ceremony for the library was held at 11:00 am on May 29 (Thursday) on the first floor of the building. The event was held in a simplified form given the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

The Science and Engineering Library remodeling project, funded by the University Innovation Support Project led by the Ministry of Education, was started last December. The library building was in urgent need of refurbishment due to deterioration over time. The lounge, lobby, and reading room on the first floor are now fully refurbished and ready to use.

The lobby and lounge areas are designed for socializing and relaxing. The reading room includes idea rooms and carrels, where students can develop their creativity. The second and third floors, which are still under remodeling, will also be renovated under the concept of a smart campus.

In his speech, Seog Young-joong, Director of the Korea University library, said, “Thank you for attending the event during this difficult time. The remodeling project aims at transforming the building into a well-equipped library with a modern and polished interior and a comfortable atmosphere, so that students are better able to focus on learning activities.”

President Chung Jin Taek congratulated the reopening of the library, saying that “this project is a manifestation of the integration of the humanities and science. I hope the new library will serve as an incubator for tomorrow’s leaders who have insights into both the humanities and science.”

The opening ceremony included a ribbon cutting in front of the reading room and a tour of the first floor of the building.

The Science and Engineering Library will host a special exhibition titled “The Science of Joseon” to celebrate the opening of the TECHNE Lounge (the name of the library’s new lounge) between June 29 and August 31 in the Infinity Lounge on the first floor, showcasing books on pure and applied sciences (in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, geometry, forensic medicine, hoplology, architecture, etc.) published during the Joseon period, carefully selected among the library’s collection of around 100,000 ancient books.