Contact Information
Joy Kim
joykim@usc.edu
(213) 740 2329
Location
East Asian Library
Overview
The Korean Heritage Library Collection was established in April 1986 with the aim of building comprehensive collections in all areas of Korean studies, including history, culture, language, literature, philosophy, thought, sociology, politics, economics and art. In its first 13 years, it has emerged as one of six leading Korean collections in North America. Its current collection includes more than 46,000 books, 1,600 serials (in 14,000 volumes), 1,500 videocassettes and DVDs, 2,330 reels of microfilm, 240 maps (including 180 rare maps), 110 CD ROMs, several hundred photographs and significant holdings of archival materials. The KHL’s particular strengths are in Korean newspapers, Korean-American and immigration history, Korean cinema, journalism and mass media, Korean independence movements, the Korean War and local materials of the Cholla-do region.
While a typical Korean library collection in this country comprises only about 5 percent to 10 percent of East Asian holdings, the Korean Heritage Library represents more than 40 percent of USC's East Asian holdings, followed by Chinese and Japanese. This is a reflection of the importance that Korean Studies holds at the University of Southern California.