# Grand People's Study House

The Grand People's Study House (Korean: 인민대학습당) is the central library located in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The library was built in 1982 in honour of the Supreme Leader Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday. It is located in the centre of the capital, situated on Kim Il Sung Square by the banks of the Taedong River, and it is near the Juche Tower, further establishing a connection between the people and the Juche ideology.
While the library is the centre of Juche studies, lectures and materials concerning other topics can also be found there. 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. Staff members are then required to return the item right away. Likewise, foreign publications are available only with special permission.

## Features

Serving as a manifestation of leader Kim Il Sung's "spirit and wisdom", the Study House was constructed in a neo-traditional Korean style at the insistence of Kim Jong Il. Construction began in April 1982 and spanned 21 months to celebrate leader Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday. Opened as "a sanctuary of learning", the library is located in the center of the capital, the Central District of Pyongyang, near the Supreme People's Assembly. It is also across from the Juche Tower, cementing the connection between the people of North Korea and the Juche ideology.
In each room and in every atrium, portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are hung, reminding visitors of the country's strict surveillance. The library has a total floor space of 100,000 square metres (1,100,000 sq ft). and 600 rooms. Its size is determined by the number of books it is expected to store; in this case, the Grand People's Study House can house up to 30 million books, of which it contains around 10,800 documents, books and "on-the-spot guidance" Kim Il Sung wrote. Foreign publications are available only with special permission. 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.
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. Lectures on a variety of subjects also take place, with the American evangelist Billy Graham even being able to give a talk in 1994, despite religious practises often being met with harsh punishments. 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. For major media coverage, the library is often seen in speeches, military and nuclear parades, and performances celebrating national holidays.

## Significance

Although not the national library of North Korea, the Grand People's Study House acts as a sort of "quasi-national library" alongside the official National Central Library. In his two-part account of North Korean libraries, library and information scientist Marc Kosciejew 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 a place 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.

## Computers and librarianship

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. People with computer-related office jobs, such as librarians, are seen in high regard. As of 2019, the curator is Choi Heui-jung.

## Gallery

* Grand People's Study House Library
* Visitors searching for books at a computer catalogue at the Grand People's Study House