Survey of Users of Korean Materials:
The Australia-Korea Research
and Information Profile
Report of the Korean Working Group
May 1998
9. Appendix 3 Comments from questionnaire respondents
9.1 Services requested by respondents
- Id like to borrow Korean cultural films which are produced by the National Film Production Centre. The were about 50 films covering different areas selected from those produced during 1985 to 1994.
- Digitised material which can be incorporated in on-line teaching - eg short video material etc for which copyright would not be infringed by teaching use.
- Easier access to trade data and statistics from Korea: import duties, import/export statistics by product.
- NLA used to post the list of new materials. I hope this service would be resumed.
- A list of Korean home pages - English language sites would be helpful.
- Statistics from censuses in English. Weather data in English. Both to be more readily available.
- Annual catalogues in hard copies from each library that can be retrieved from any library in Australia.
- Data service - Korean economic data, especially technology and science.
- As a project officer, I would like to be supported materials for HSC students, (eg videos, films etc) for non-native speakers.
- Academic journal subscription.
- There are no CJK terminals available to non-library staff (at ANU), which should be rectified; Computer listings of journal contents; titles of articles by author.
- Language classes.
- A regular listing of articles on Korean politics and the economy published in scholarly journals would be very useful.
- Strengthening of the Korean collection at Fisher Library, Uni of Sydney.
- Supply monthly information booklet for new books available.
- More English language Korea related business and politics journals in the Griffith Library.
- CD diskette containing major Korean macroeconomic data.
- More up to date information on social/cultural issues.
- More English language material, especially translations of Korean literature.
- E-mail discussion groups; electronic sources eg CD ROMs, Internet,
electronic journals
9.2 Alternative sources of materials
- I have students from Korea and they find them.
- Consultation with colleagues, direct contact with author(s).
- Asking friends who live in Korea to send me some resources related to my teaching Korean.
- Through my reference librarian at SUT.
- Korea Trade centres in Melbourne and Sydney; Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; English language business periodicals from Korea which we subscribe to.
- Contact Korean scholars in Korea
- Try to borrow from other colleagues personal collections.
- Ask my friends in Korea to provide me with copies.
- I personally ask friends in Korea about materials.
- Personal correspondence to Korean colleagues.
- I photocopy materials when I visit Korea.
- Information can now be more easily obtained on the Internet, particularly the US websites for English language materials and some Korean websites.
- Request someone to photocopy material and post it from overseas.
- Construct materials myself.
- Through family in Korea
- The Internet is a very useful alternative for up to date information.
- Internet, DFAT, Korean National Tourism Organisation, journals (eg
Asiaweek), newspapers, CD ROMS
9.3 Comments received about on-line use and CJK System
- Never used CJK system, because of lack of knowledge of the service.
- CJK system: what is this? how can it be accessed?
9.4 Comments on payment of inter-library loan services
- Would like to use photocopying services if cost were reasonable.
- Never use this because it costs too much.
- This really discourages me to use the service.
9.5 Responses to question: How well are your information needs met?
Generally positive
Satisfactory at present because of reasonably frequent opportunities to visit Korea.
Very well met through University of South Australia
At this stage and for current purposes, my needs are well met.
Since my interest in Korea is mainly to do with current issues, such as doing business in Korea, many of my needs are met by Korean business journals and Korean business statistics.
Our business is providing advisory services for Australian and Korean business people. Library collections meet our macro research and academic needs well. Library collections are more limited when we are researching statistical data on Australian and Korean industries.
Even being located in Melbourne and having access to Monash and Melbourne libraries, the holdings and facilities at the NLA and ANU remain critically important for both research and consulting.
I am generally satisfied. I have many contacts in Korea and can usually find what I need if it is not available locally.
Generally negative
Poor. We need more journals available within Australia which are crucial to obtain the latest information in each research area. Using inter-library loan service costs too much. For example, it would cost more than $10 to borrow a book through this service.
Very poorly, although I have met my needs personally in general. Menzies Library has literally ridiculous collections of Korean materials. I dont seem to have any better access to the NLA than the general public.
I wish there were at least one library in Australia which holds substantial volumes in social sciences in both Korean and English. As far as I know there is none. This is a serious problem.
Economic and business data and information is lacking. Most of these have been collected by myself.
In a very limited capacity - but now I see that I was not aware of these available range of services so far. I will try using them more often from now on.
Not enough, I guess. Basically, more books and journals need to be provided in Australian universities.
At present I supervise a number of Korean students who study here in Australia. Even if library resources were available, the material they are working on is not yet available in Korean.
Being a librarian myself, most of the time, I am able to find the information. This survey seems to lack a focus of the real objective of the study as the questions are not well constructed.
My personal information needs are very well met, however references suitable for primary age students information are few. Moreover language materials aimed at second language learners of Korean are virtually non-existent.
Especially, overall the information on Korean economy are very poor, eg basic macro economic data set etc.
I do not expect much from Australian libraries since their Korean collection is small. I use the Web extensively in gathering information on Korea.
General suggestions for improvements
I do my research on North Korea and Id like to see more materials on North Korea and North Korean materials as well.
Korean economic data: available by Korean Statistics Agency
Technology data: I am not sure.
- R&D expenditure by sector (public or private) and industry (1970 - 1996)
- Number of researchers by major field (1990 - 1997)
- Industrial property rights applied and granted by right (patent, utility mark, industrial designs trade mark)
- number/value of patents applied to United States by industry
(Summarised) Libraries have a problem to acquire materials in a timely manner. Long lead times hold up research and are discouraging, especially to PhD students. Another problem is access: if only one copy exists, the only economising is in the initial purchase. Inter-library loan system consumes both time and money. General reference materials should be held at several libraries. Libraries should have discretion to acquire materials which are in high demand, regardless of cooperative acquisition policies with other libraries.
Unaware of Korean holdings at ANU, Monash, Griffith. Need more advice on how to access current resources in libraries on Korea. Am developing new increased emphasis on Korean studies.
(Summarised) Of greatest assistance has been the CJK system. Collection at Monash Universitys is the most comprehensive, though I have not visited the NLA collection. I also found the Korean Librarian at Monash to be of invaluable assistance in the location of texts and other materials. University of Sydneys East Asian collection has also been of value. Other points: (1) Unable to locate analysis of census data carried by the Korea Institute for Social Sciences. Perhaps more extensive Korean Institute - Australian University links may add to the flow of resources. (2) Re location of resources. Despite the administrative difficulties and general undesirability of breaking up collections, university libraries could perhaps reflect in their collections the strong enrolments and research interests in certain aspects of Korean studies. Example: location of Korean law-related materials at Monash instead of at University of Melbourne. I understand that the University of Melbourne has appointed (or plans to appoint) a lecturer in Korean law. Although the Monash collection is primarily a research collection, I believe it is more likely that Melbourne will become home to future research in Korean law. Possible solution: decentralise some larger collections or create consortium arrangements which allow sections of the library covering one subject to be borrowed for extended periods.
Put information onto the Internet and charge to download information, or let us order information through the Net and a research officer can locate and fax to my office at a chargeable rate.
Teaching primary school students, I need lots of visual materials especially video tapes and big story books in Korean language.
As I am teaching mainly primary students, it is not easy to find the information I need. Most of them available in Melbourne are for secondary or university students.
I have had to rely on the Internet when looking for information as most of the work I do has to be done in the office. Otherwise, I try the University of Sydney, but sometimes the information can be outdated.
Courses are increasingly being compiled for on-line delivery. Material suitable to this form of teaching, as well as traditional paper-based forms are badly needed.
General comments on respondents current sources
Korean Annual - in English Yonhap News Agency; Cumulative Korean statistics; Korean newspapers on the WWW; Books purchased from Kyoto Bookshop, Seoul; Maps purchased from the Central Map Agency in Seoul
I primarily research questions about comparative politics and political economy in Southeast Asia. I follow politics and business in Korea closely - because the case is important in my teaching - but I have published no original research on Korean topics.
Generally seek information directly from contacts in Korea (Australian Embassy, Seoul), national universities in Korea and colleagues in Korea.
My current information needs are on the perceptions of Koreans living and studying in Australia. As far as I know, no other studies like this have been done before. I have not been able to find other resources for use. However, I have not tried Griffith, ANU or the National Library.
I usually receive published materials via mailing lists, but may use say the CJK service in future.
Information needs are met by subscribing to relevant periodicals and by information which is sent to the National Korean Studies Centre collection. I rarely if ever require information from other sources.
I use my private collection most, followed by colleagues collections.
I write curriculum materials for teachers of Korean language and studies (primary and secondary) in Victorian schools. This covers society, the arts, English, history, geography, music, food etc. I also deliver professional development workshops for teachers.
Miscellaneous comments
I have not yet begun to research the area of Korean Studies in depth.
Not sure about Korean materials in the NLA in terms of their usefulness for my research area.
As a Korean Studies librarian, I think it is not appropriate to fill in this form.
At present, due to work commitments that do not involved Korean studies, I do not need information. However, I would like to think that if that need arises, these services will be widely available, especially in Melbourne.
I was not sure how to answer. I have not done any research on Korea in the last couple of years. I may, however, in the future.
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Last updated 10 December 1998
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