Grand People's Study House
Large library in Pyongyang From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Grand People's Study House is the central library located in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. The building is situated on Kim Il Sung Square by the banks of the Taedong River.[1]
| Grand People's Study House | |
|---|---|
| 인민대학습당 | |
 Grand People's Study House, as seen from across the Taedong River. | |
 | |
| Location | Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1982 |
| Other information | |
| Website | www.gpsh.edu.kp |
| Grand People's Study House | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 인민대학습당 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 人民大學習堂 |
| Revised Romanization | Inmin Daehakseupdang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Inmin Taehaksŭptang |
The Study House was constructed in a traditional Korean style in April 1982 over a period of 21 months to celebrate leader Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday.[2] The library was opened as the "centre for the project of intellectualising the whole of society and a sanctuary of learning for the entire people."[3] The library is located in the center of the capital, the Central District of Pyongyang, near the Supreme People's Assembly.[1] It is also across from the Juche Tower, cementing the connection between the people of North Korea and the Juche ideology.[1]
For major media coverage, the library is often seen in speeches, military and nuclear parades, and performances celebrating national holidays.[1]
It has a total floor space of 100,000 square metres (1,100,000 sq ft). and 600 rooms.[4] The building can house up to 30 million books,[5] of which it contains around 10,800 documents, books and "on-the-spot guidance" Kim Il Sung wrote.[6] Foreign publications are available only with special permission.[7] Writings of Kim Jong Il are also included. Almost all materials are strictly accessible to librarians and staff, but people can still search the online or print catalogues to find what they would like to borrow. A formal communication from the library is issued to the offender's employer if a borrowed item is not returned on time. The employer is then required to remind their staff member to return the item right away.[1]
The library is the national centre of Juche studies, with one North Korean guide reporting to study the "Great Leader" Kim Il Sung and "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il for a total of 90 minutes per day.[8] Lectures on a variety of subjects also take place.[9] Also, the Juche Tower – the physical manifestation of North Korea's Communist brand – is directly across from the library on the other side of the Taedong River. The library, as well as for those who use it, follows Kim Il Sung's "study while working" mindset to help North Koreans advance their socialist and self-reliant education, and strengthen their admiration for the Kim family.[1]
In his two-part account of North Korean libraries, library and information scientist Marc Kosciejew,[10] uses the conceptual framework of library-as-place to better illuminate their significance. The library plays numerous significant roles in the lives of North Koreans, as places of cult of personality and governmental control. It also helps reinforce the Juche mindset through what tightly-controlled and monitored information and events are available to the public. However, the mere fact that the library makes some information available is very rare for such an enigmatic country.[11]
Although not the national library of North Korea, it acts as a sort of "quasi-national library" alongside the official National Central Library.[12]
The library has numerous spacious computer rooms with modern computers providing access to the North Korean intranet. Alongside Juche, computer education is compulsory in North Korea, making them the two most popular subjects to study for military officers and university students.[1] People with computer-related office jobs, such as librarians, are seen in high regard.[1] The curator is Choi Heui-jung.[13]
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