CBNU News

On August 16, 2018, the second library, which many students have waited for, finally opened. As the existing library doesn’t have enough places to study, many students have experienced inconveniences. The new library has various facilities for studying, and it should satisfy their expectations. However, will it also satisfy the international students? There isn’t any information about the new library on the English version of the library’s website. Also, there are no English versions of official documents concerning the new library. Can foreign students use the new library freely even though they have no English information? Joey, an exchange student from Malaysia, said, “The new library is comfortable and I like the color combination of the whole design, which creates a great study atmosphere. However, I agree that the signs are mostly in Korean, leaving most of the foreign students confused. Also, guidelines (e.g., how to make a reservation for the study rooms) are written in Korean, so foreign students may lose the opportunities to utilize the library fully. If there was a handbook of the library in English, it would be beneficial.” As Joey said, many foreign students may experience these kinds of inconveniences. CBT is going to visit the new library for the foreign students in CBNU.

Students can use the new library from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Unfortunately, there is no extension of the opening time of the new library for the time being because the library couldn’t get any additional workforce. However, the librarian said the school plans to expand the operating hours gradually. People can enter the new library freely because the mobile systems haven’t been installed yet. However, after the mobile system is completed, students should use the mobile library application or their student ID cards to enter the library. The library mobile application is separate from the CBNU application, and the students will be able to download it from the Play Store (for Android) and the App Store (for IOS). The IOS version may need more time to be developed than the Android version.

On the first floor of the new library, there are large spaces to study, five study rooms, Café Coobnu and an exhibit hall. Café Coobnu is between the existing library and the new library. Students can drink their drinks at the café tables or the tables in front of the exhibit hall. They can’t bring their drinks into the library. Also, there are two sockets and a desk lamp on each desk so that students can study more conveniently. Students can use the studying spaces freely now. However, once the mobile systems are completed, they can use the areas only after reserving a space on the mobile application.

Students can reach the second floor by going up the stairs which are near some desks. There are various types of seats and seven study rooms on the second floor, and they also need to be booked on the mobile systems.

The third floor is a multi-media area. There are desks, computers, sofas and waiting areas. The computers are available for one or two people. A student can use them for searching or writing essays. The fourth floor is a restricted area. Therefore, students can’t use this floor and are forbidden to enter it.

The fifth floor is also mostly restricted, but some areas are accessible. There is a cinema on the fifth floor. It’s called the Gae-sin Cinema. The library is planning movie programs so that students can watch movies at the Gea-sin Cinema. However, because of the security, they can’t enter the cinema without staff members escorting the students.

Students can use the twelve study rooms on the first and second floors by reserving them on the school library’s website. Unfortunately, reservations are available on the Korean website but not on the English website. Study rooms can be used for a maximum of three hours per one reservation and can only be booked the day before their use. After completing the booking, students can get the passwords for the study room at the information desk on the first floor. Each study room has a different capacity. Therefore, students need to consider the capacity when they book the study rooms. Three to eight students can use rooms 102 and 105. Three to ten students can use rooms 103, 104, 203, 205 and 206. Five to twelve students can use rooms 201, 202, 204 and 207. Room 101 is the largest study room, so seven to fourteen students can use it.

Many students like the new library and its facilities. However, it’s regrettable that there wasn’t more consideration for the foreign students. Im Na-ri, an employee of the school library, said, “The school library distributes the library manuals at the beginning of every year. The manuals, which contain the information about the new library, will be distributed this December or January. Unfortunately, these manuals will be written only in Korean. However, if the budget allows, we will push ahead and make English leaflets for the new library.” As many foreign students are studying in CBNU, the school should provide English information so that every student can use the school facilities, including the library, without any inconvenience.