Seowon Collections of books as the Fountainhead of Knowledge and Culture : Collection and Utilization of Seowon Book Collections

During the Joseon Dynasty, Seowon secured their collections through various methods such as donations, book granted by the King, purchases, and publications, thus serving as regional hub libraries. In the case of Namgye Seowon, members of the local Confucian scholars from Hamyang, or members of the Na mmyeong School, dona ted books from the ea rly sta ges of the Seowon's establishment. Most of these books comprised Confucian classics and Neo-Confucian texts, with some anthologies and historical works by Chinese scholars also being donated. The high proportion of Confucian classics is attributed to their use as teaching materials in Seowon education, while the significant presence of Neo-Confucian texts reflects the contemporary scholars' interest in Neo-Confucianism during that period. After receiving the royal plaque, Namgye Seowon was granted Confucian classics by the king and acquired many newly published books from the royal court, accumulating around a thousand volumes. However, most of these books were lost during the Japanese invasion of 1597 (Jeongyu Jae-ran). Subsequently, the Seowon reassembled its collection through donations, publications, and purchases. Notably, during the period of the Nammyeong Shrine Movement, the Seowon purchased Nammyeongjip, highlighting its scholarly affiliation with the Nammyeong School. Meanwhile, as Seowon fulfilled the role of a regional library, a variety of people borrowed books from its collections. It is commonly thought that only Seowon officials or students borrowed books, but the example of Dodong Seowon reveals that many borrowers were non-students as well. However, these individuals often belonged to influential local families and had some connections with Seowon officials. The borrowing period varied widely ; some borrowed books for over a year, and many did not return them at all. To prevent the loss of books, Seowon kept records such as the Seochek Chulnap Chibu (Records of Book Loans and Returns) to manage their inventory. By reading Seowon’s books and diligently studying, these individuals often passed the civil service exams, served as Seowon officials, or hyanggyo Doyusa in local Confucian schools, thereby leading local society.