Where do you spend your time mostly on CAU campus? Some may think it is the classroom, but most students will say that they usually spend their time in the library, where they come for studying assignments and team projects. Currently, the central libraries on the campuses of Seoul and Anseong are considered the most modern buildings at CAU. But there was a time when the central library looked very different from what we know now. Let's look out when the central library was first built, when it was able to take its present form, and when some ghost stories passed from seniors.
The Central Library of CAU in Seoul Campus
Did you know that the central library on Seoul Campus was a candidate for modern cultural assets? It is hard to get this information from the present appearance of it, but it has very long history. The construction of the Central Library, located in Seoul Campus, started on October 25, 1958, and was completed on October 23, 1959, and had a total floor space of 15,537.26m2 from the top to bottom. At that time, the spaces were not fully used as a library, only about three floors were used as a library and the rest as insufficient classrooms. The name of it was ‘Unam Library’ at the time, but after the April 19 Revolution, it was renamed the central library as it is now. Records from 1968 tells us that the central library had 130,000 books at the time, the largest number of books among in Korean universities’ libraries. It is said that the efforts of Dr. Lim Young-shin, the founder of CAU, greatly influenced to this record. The central library was contacted by the Cultural Heritage Administration who announced that it would be registered as a modern cultural heritage in November 2005. However, the board of directors decided to give up the status of a modern cultural asset due to the prospect that renovation could be difficult.
CAU's Clock Tower's History
Currently on the roof of the central library, the clock tower, which looks relatively new, has a longer history than expected. This is because the central library in its current form was made after remodeling and further building. Therefore, the central library still has some forms from its past. One of them, the clock tower, was built on October 14, 1968, and was designed by graduate students from Chung-Ang University. The student council organized a committee to build a clock tower and held a design contest to commemorate the graduation of students in 1969. The core shape of the clock tower looks like a crown, and all four sides consist of watches. At that time, Chung-Ang Newspaper reported on March 27, 1969, that the clocks on the four sides pointed to different times, causing confusion to students.
The Central Library of CAU in Anseong Campus
The Central Library located on Anseong Campus was built in 1980. The central library of Anseong Campus, which started with a capacity of 485.9526m2 and 204 seats, was expanded to 1,700 seats in March 1988 through remodeling and has offered a cozy environment for students and professors. In 1995, the newly installed library computerization system enabled smooth retrieval of information, and in 2003, it was developed into an integrated digital library system that provides lecture research information and internet information, including original information. Inside the central library, there are study rooms, online information search rooms, and electronic information rooms for Internet use. The library, which has a 30-year history, currently has 400,000 books, and the electronic materials it provides is also huge. Since 1996, it has been operating as an "Open library" that is open to residents of Anseong in addition to students, contributing to the local community.
The Ghost Story of Central Library
Chung-Ang University has three popular ghost stories, one about the abandoned dormitory of Anseong Campus, the other about the Seoul Campus Law School building, and the other about the central library on Seoul Campus. These ghost stories, relatively recently known, became a hot topic when posted on Facebook. The ghost story is based on a student's memory, and it is said that suddenly he saw a short bald man running on the stairs of the central library and heard an unpleasant laugh after he passed. It is quite cute compared to other ghost stories, but it is interesting enough for students who study hard in the library.
There will be many students who feel sad that they can’t visit the school library as the COVID-19 epidemic continues. Have you played CAU BINGO, where students from Chung-Ang University showed a lot of interest on Instagram? In it, stories of students’ memories about the library, such as "I've stayed up all night at the Central Library" and "I've visited a convenience store located on the rooftop," appeared. Though it may be difficult for everyone right now, as time goes by, we hope that we enjoy the central library as our favorite place soon.