The Library contains some 1,300 volumes, almost all of them on topics related to Korea. It has accumulated over several decades, mainly through members’ donations. It is in urgent need of additional materials in order to provide a fuller coverage.

The Library is housed in the RAS Korea Office.

No provision exists for books to be borrowed, all books must be read in the room housing the library.

Access to the library is limited to members of RAS Korea.

A member wishing to use the library must make a prior telephone appointment in order to ensure that the room will be staffed. On arrival, the member should produce a current RAS Korea membership card and proof of identity. In the absence of a membership card, access will be granted if the member’s name is on a list of current members kept at the library.

A non-member who is not normally resident in Korea and wishes to use the library may join RAS Korea as an overseas member in order to use the library. This must be done through the office prior to going to use the library.

No book may be removed from the room in which the library is housed without written permission signed by the librarian or the President of RAS Korea.

The hours during which the library can be be used depend on the opening hours of the room.

Books stored in the rare books section of the library may not be consulted without special, written / emailed permission from the President of RAS Korea (or a member of the Library Committee). The rare books section will remain locked at all times.

The titles of rare books the reader wishes to consult should be included in the written application / permission and they will normally be located and communicated to the reader by the staff-member. However, the President of RAS Korea and members of the Library Committee, as well as any individual member of RAS Korea with special permission, will have unlimited, free access to the rare books section.

The staff member must keep a written record of the name and address of each user of the library, including a list of each book from the rare books section communicated to any reader.

Readers are free to browse among the books on the open-access shelves. However, books removed from the shelves and taken to the table for consultation should be returned to the member of staff supervising the room, who will be responsible for returning them to their correct place on the shelves.

Books which have yet to be catalogued and placed in the shelves are not normally available for consultation but an exception may be made in special cases.

In case of any dispute or problem, or any issue not covered by these regulations, the staff member will refer the matter immediately to a member of the Library Committee.