About the library

The Digital Library of Korea Literature allows free access to eBooks of Korean literature that has been translated into various languages.

THE LTI KOREA LIBRARY

As the world’s only multilingual archive of Korean literature and related contents, the LTI Korea Library provides various types of resources on Korean literature from all over the world, including e-books and bibliographic information on translated Korean works, as well as introductory materials on Korean writers, and overseas press releases. The LTI Korea Library, with its collection of translated works of Korean literature across 51 languages, journals and magazines of Korean literature, dictionaries, and DVDs, is open to writers, translators, academics, researchers, students of the Translation Academy, and the general public.

HISTORY

2020 - 2024

  • 2024

    Collaborative events held with local libraries

    • Lecture: “Exploring the World of Children’s Books Through Translation” with a translator held at Samseong Public Library in Gangnam-gu
    • Special exhibition “Springing to Life: A Celebration of Korean Literature That’s Captivating the World” held at the Starfield Library in COEX Mall
  • 2023

    Collaborative events held with a local library (Samseong Public Library in Gangnam-gu)

    • Partnership agreement signed with the Samseong Public Library in Gangnam-gu
    • Meet the translator event: “Slowly, Quickly, Keenly: The Birth of Translators, Books, and Libraries
  • 2022

    Institutional membership program and online book donation service began

  • 2021

    Provided archive service for the Digital Library of Korean Literature

  • 2020

    Established a multilingual Korean literature archive system

2010 - 2019

  • 2018

    Promoted and showcased Korean literature at the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games

  • 2015

    New E-library(Korean literature multilingual archive) website opened

  • 2014

    Database for the names of Korean writers was established and provided E-library system and website was reorganized

  • 2013

    Book donation program at home and abroad was established and implemented

    LIBGuide began that is E-library English Web service

  • 2012

    Overseas Hub Library Members program launched

    Remodelling of library interior

    Classification of the library collections and development of list guidelines

  • 2010

    Translated book sharing project started in Korea (it ended in 2011)

2001 - 2009

  • 2009

    E-library website opened

  • 2007

    LTI Korea Library opened

  • 2005

    Receiving exhibited 'Books on Korea' and materials that introduce writers from the Frankfurt Book Fair

  • 2004

    Uploading texts video and voice contents on Korean literature on the webpage

  • 2003

    Establishing the website that provides the bibliographic data of Korea's translated literature

  • 2002

    Surveying and collecting translated books of Korean literature (received from the Underwood collection of Yonsei University)

  • 2001

    Beginning as the archive of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea

MAJOR PROJECTS

  • Hub Library Membership
    and Donation Program

    Through our Hub Library Membership program, we have successfully established a global network of leading institutions and research centers around the world. In addition, by donating translated Korean titles to major libraries and institutes, we encourage the establishment of Korean literatures collections.

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  • Supporting and
    Holding Exhibitions
    of Korean Works
    in Translation

    Using its multilingual content of Korean literature in translation, the Library holds special exhibitions both in and out of Korea. In addition, the Library provides various related exhibitions with resources on Korean literature. This way, we raise awareness of Korean literature among academics, overseas readers and the public, introducing them to the history of Korean literature in translation.

    Related Inquiries: library@klti.or.kr

  • Official Database of
    Korean Writers' Names

    As part of our effort to promote Korean literature worldwide, the Library has complied a list of Korean writers' preferred romanized spellings of their names, so that for each writer, one spelling variant could be used for all publications. With the "Official Database of Korean Writers' Names", it is now possible to search for a writer using all possible spelling variants of his or her name, in any language of your choice.

MAJOR COLLECTIONS

  • Translated books in the field of Korean literature and culture/arts and original editions in Korean

  • Periodicals on Korean literature and translated publications

  • Language dictionaries and references on translation

  • Videos that introduce Korean literature to other countries in the world

  • DVD of original Korean literature, etc