[RAS Korea] Poring through RAS Korea's 'lost books'

The library section of RAS Korea's office in Daehangno, Seoul / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

By Steven L. Shields

Libraries are filled with books that have become "lost" to readers and researchers. There are so many books and so little time to find them. Card cataloging systems of the past do not provide enough information about a book to indicate to a researcher whether it might have value to their work.

Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea member Ryan Berkebile, a longtime urban explorer studying for a master's degree in digital humanities, is interning at the RAS office in Seoul. While RAS Korea has been working on digitalizing archival documents, books and monographs, journals, photographic images and so forth, Berkebile is helping RAS Korea set up platforms where the information can be accessed electronically. His projects include developing archival websites that will provide easy access to RAS Korea's archival documents, photographic images and library.

In the few weeks since Berkebile began his internship, he's uncovered dozens of gems in our library. While the books have been in the catalog and filed by call numbers, with more than 3,000 volumes (and growing) RAS Korea's members and friends are unaware of many of the books. Hundreds of books in the collection were published before most of the current members were alive. Hundreds more had a limited publication and were never for sale to the public. Indeed, "lost" books.

One example of the rich Korean folk art heritage that resides within the covers of hundreds of books in the RAS Korea library. / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

Berkebile has set up an Instagram account for the RAS Library (@raskb_library), where he shares some of his newly discovered treasures. Photos from the RAS Korea collection are being shared with viewers to encourage further study, make the general public aware of the RAS digital resources and encourage a site visit to the RAS Korea library.

"Korean Sketches" is perhaps one of James Scarth Gale's most important books in which the colors of Korea's history, culture and people are expressed skillfully by a masterful scholar and storyteller. / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

The digital age began decades ago, but the "digital humanities" field is relatively new. Most readers would understand the basics of digitalization and computer science. At the same time, humanities is a time-honored discipline that catches up with sociology, anthropology, history and more. Most universities require all students to have basic credits in the humanities. While content remains unchanged, the digital age brings new media and technology that can enhance other disciplines.

Digital humanities is at the intersection of computing and the disciplines of the humanities. It is a means to process information from a variety of sources, using the computing capabilities of chips and switches, if you will, to more accurately and efficiently collate data to further the study and understanding of human existence. More than mere digitalization of printed materials, manuscripts, photographs and artworks, digital humanities tools allow the researcher or scientist to collect, collate and extrapolate data to enhance the narrative explanations of the discipline.

The area of digital humanities provides a broad means of disseminating source documents, research, and ongoing studies. Projects in digital humanities begin with the digitalization of source materials, of course, but can also include the production or publication of digital works, such as books that would formerly have been printed on paper. Most agree, though, that there will always be an aesthetic value for books and material media; digitalization can breathe new life into books that are scarce and inaccessible to most.

Digital humanities brings the tools of computing to the task of finding such resources. With digitalized media, universal word searches replace indexes at a comprehensive level. Digitalized books and documents, even photographic images and works of art, are easily accessed, regardless of the fragile nature of the original copy, which requires special handling.

Ha Tae-heung's multi-volume series on Korea's history and culture. The illustrations inside his books are beautiful representations of post-Korean War book publishing in Seoul. / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

Among some of the many treasures rediscovered by Berkebile is a book series that was important to me in my early exposure to Korea. Professor Ha Tae-heung published these through Yonsei University Press in the 1960s and early 1970s. It is a mini-library of 10 volumes covering most facets of Korea's history and culture. The books are long out of print but have value for a researcher looking at how Koreans saw their nation and how they couched the English-language imaging of the past. Berkebile comments, "…each one has beautiful illustrations…[Ha's] books are quite fascinating in their mixture of incorrect/misleading information and the beautiful presentation…." Some of the copies of Ha's books are inscribed by the author.

Two books of interest that I have never seen are a 1954 publication, "Syngman Rhee, the man behind the myth," followed a few years later by a somewhat companion book, "The fall of Syngman Rhee."

The 1954 book promoting Syngman Rhee with a few notecards found inside / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

Not long after is the little-known 1962 publication, "Korea Moves Ahead," published by the Korean government. This book features an inspirational message from "acting president" Park Chung-hee. For two years, 1961-63, Park led the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction. Park wasn't elected president until 1963. He had moved into the vacuum of power when the Chang Myon government, following the ouster of Syngman Rhee, failed in its attempts to form a parliamentary government. Park became acting president following the spring 1962 resignation of Yun Posun, who had been president since 1960.

The library section of RAS Korea's office in Daehangno, Seoul / Courtesy of Ryan Berkebile

My favorite of the more esoteric treasures Berkebile has uncovered is Wladimir W. Mitkewich's book, "Koreans are white," in which the author argues that although the skin tone has changed, Koreans' origins are supposedly white European. Head over the RAS Korea library and take a look at this unique perspective on Korean history and culture! The book makes some interesting claims and provides a supportive narrative to the author's thesis.

Berkebile cautions this over-enthusiastic RAS Korea president. He says bringing RAS Korea into the age of digital humanities is a project that will take many years and eventually cost considerable resources of time and money. But, as the adage goes, "well begun is half done." Berkebile is striving for this at the RAS Korea library.

Volunteers staff the RAS Korea library, so it's best to call the office to schedule your visit. RAS Korea will do its best to welcome you to browse for interest or to spend some time doing some serious research.

Rev. Steven L. Shields is president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea (www.raskb.com) and columnist for The Korea Times. Visit raskb.com or email royalasiatickorea@gmail.com for more information about the society.