The Korean Heritage Library is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 1986, it has served as a vital resource for preserving Korean and Korean American history and supporting academic scholarship.
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Our Story
The Korean Heritage Library (KHL) at USC was established in April, 1986 with the aim of building comprehensive collections in all areas of Korean Studies. Over the last four decades, the library has grown into one of North America’s leading collections on Korean studies, with local and international support including the Korea Foundation, the Overseas Korean Studies and Heritage Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for Humanities.
As a founding member of the Korean Collections Consortium of North America, the KHL offers an extensive collection of research materials, ranging from books, serials, and digital resources to unique primary archives. Signature collections include the Korean-American Digital Archive (KADA), the Sea of Korea Maps Collection, the Peace Corps Korea Digital Archive, the Korean Missionary Archives, and more.
Today, these collections provide essential resources for students, scholars, and community members seeking to understand Korea’s global history and the early Korean American experience, supporting Korean scholarship at USC and beyond.