a. Consortia and Collaborative Collecting with Other Institutions

The Korean Collections Consortium of North America (KCCNA) is a cooperative collection development program for Korean studies resources, funded by the Korea Foundation. Through this program, Koreanists at any North American institutions can have access to Korean scholarly materials for their teaching and research via free interlibrary loans.  Established in 1994 with six founding members, KCCNA now has thirteen prominent member libraries (University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Duke University, Harvard University, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Michigan, Princeton University, University of Southern California, Stanford University, University of Toronto, and University of Washington) working collaboratively to develop and share comprehensive Korean Studies collections in North America.

The Ivy Plus Library Confederation is a partnership between thirteen leading academic research libraries (Brown University, the University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Stanford University, and Yale University) which collectively provide access to a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity through resource sharing and collaboration. Ivy Plus meetings are held every year and a half, during which East Asian studies librarians and library directors meet and discuss issues such as cooperative collection development, web archiving projects, etc.

b. Selection for ReCAP

Due to space limitations in C.V. Starr East Asian Library, over fifty percent of the collection is stored in ReCAP. The titles are individually chosen for ReCAP by East Asian Library selectors. The goal is to send lesser-used titles off site and to keep on site heavily used titles directly related to the Korean studies program at EALAC. Additionally, most newly acquired multi-volume sets as well as new books related to topics such as Korean novels, essays, poems, psychology, popular culture, and Korean fine and performing arts are sent directly to off-site storage. Furthermore, most non-book formats such as DVDs and microforms are also located off site. Books which have not been circulated for the past ten years and retrospective serials are also sent off site.

The library does not purchase or keep duplicate titles except for those needed for classes taught by faculty members. In that case, no more than two copies would be obtained. 

Deduplication only takes place if a title has been identified for relocation to ReCAP and a copy already exists on shelf at the facility. In this instance, the Librarian would inspect the copy that would potentially be withdrawn for any unique features or unusual provenance before assenting to deduplication.

c. Deaccessioning

Titles are deaccessioned only in cases where the physical copy is lost or no longer serviceable in paper format, or it is determined that a duplicate copy is unnecessary. Materials located in the Rare Book Room in the East Asian Library are never deaccessioned. 

d. Digitization and Preservation

Due to their physical condition, on-site access to rare books and special collections is limited for scholars and researchers. Korean rare books and special collections stored in the Rare Book Room in the East Asian Library have been digitized through collaborative projects and made available via the Columbia University Libraries website. 

Yi Sŏng-ŭi Collection: With the collaborative effort between the National Library of Korea (NLK) and Columbia University Libraries, thirty-seven Korean rare books (ninety-four volumes) have been digitized in 2010 as the first phase of a large-scale digitization project. 

Dr. Gregart’s Gift Materials: The second phase of a cooperative digital project with the NLK, Dr. Gregart’s gift materials, including three maps and nine manuscripts, were digitized in 2015. The digitized materials are now accessible through CLIO and the Korea Old and Rare Collection Information System at NLK.

Sin sosŏl Collection: The collection was digitized by Brill International Publisher and can be purchased as a database or microfiche.

Conant Collection: The collection has been digitized through cooperative projects with the Korean Film Archive (KFA) and Korea University as unique materials. So far, seventy-six film reels, out of 132 film reels, including “I Am a Truck,” edited by Sang‐ok Shin, were digitized. The films were predominantly featured in the 1950s in Korea. The 110 audio and twenty music reels digitized by the Professor Charles Armstrong in 2007 consist of various kinds of music, including Korean traditional and modern music, music for film scores, and live performances and interviews. Professor Armstrong later donated the digital versions of 146 CDs to the library in 2009. Over 1,300 photos, another prominent part of the collection, were also digitized in 2015 with KFA. The digitized materials of the Conant Collection are accessible at the C.V. Starr East Asian Library, the Korean Film Archive, and Korea University.