Data analytics not only improves the operational efficiency and service quality of libraries, but also helps libraries better understand the needs of patrons and provide more precise and customized services, helping libraries to develop and innovate in the digital era.

　　Seoul National University（SNU） is one of the premier universities in Korea. The Central Library on the campus consists of two buildings: the Main Library, which has a history of nearly 50 years and specializes in book collections, and the new Kwanjeong Library, completed in 2015, provides a user-friendly space with study rooms for discussion and research, as well as audio-visual rooms, open reading spaces, and multimedia rooms to meet the diverse needs of modern library patrons.

　　Kwanjeong Library intends to create new functions and images that are different from those of the past. Instead of a cold soundproof wall, the library will utilize a small stream or garden to separate the quiet area from the discussion space to avoid mutual interference; and the sofa area will allow students to take a comfortable nap before continuing their studies, breaking the impression that sleep is prohibited in traditional libraries.

The 「LikeSNU」 platform　 Provide comprehensive library resources for internal and external readers.

　　Dukjin Chang, Director of the SNU, highlighted that the huge plaque in front of the library celebrates the recognition of the American Library Association's (ALA) International Award for Innovation for the LikeSNU Platform, a new program implemented by the library.
　　
The "LikeSNU Platform Project" launched its first version in March 2023, and the upgraded service will be officially launched in March 2024. It will continue to be developed by analyzing a wide range of big data, using technologies such as topic modeling (14,000 topics have been analyzed so far), social network analysis, AI deep learning technology, and massive data processing technology, among others.

Dukjin Chang emphasizes, "Maybe you didn't get into Seoul National University, but you can still use the platform to see what professors and students at Seoul National University are reading," he says. The purpose of the platform is to create better learning channels and opportunities for all users, not only teachers and students on campus, but also the public, who can not only see other people's loan lists and other information, but also track their favorite book lists.

Many people stop reading when they grow up because they don't know where to start, or they just blindly follow the hot lists, so it's easy for them to get bored and give up reading. Dukjin Chang believes that libraries, as the guardians of knowledge, should provide readers with book lists that are suitable for them, so that they can regain the fun and passion of reading. The "LikeSNU Platform" system delivers a book recommendation newsletter to subscribers at 10 a.m. every day and provides a map of books for extended reading.

In 2022, 506 first-year students borrowed a book at least once when they entered the university in March, and in March 2024, the number of students who borrowed a book at least once increased by 50% overall. In December 2023, Dukjin Chang accidentally saw a blogger who was not a faculty or staff member of the university sharing his experience of using the platform on his webpage, and the title of the article was "A Christmas gift from the SNU", which showed that the public was happy to use it as well.

Anticipate changes in reader demand by analyzing historical data and trends

For on-campus students, LikeSNU integrates students' borrowing records, course selection lists, course syllabi, etc. to recommend books suitable for students' level and courses that can be taken together with electives and provides reference books for users' course selection and level when searching for theses in more difficult specialties. When students select courses, they can also see the related book lists, thesis lists, and other related courses on campus to further understand the contents of the courses; new theses published by professors are also loaded into the system simultaneously.

Dukjin Chang believes that the quality of data is the key to building such a platform service. LikeSNU platform integrates the data of 60,000 readers, about 2.5 million borrowing data, collection data, school essays, students' course selections, and syllabi over the past 10 years for the system to analyze and then provide customized book recommendations.

Presenting a new look for libraries in the digital age

"SNU Collection" is another reading recommendation service on the LikeSNU platform. Readers can create and share their own reading lists on their personal pages, see what other readers are enjoying, and follow each other or import each other's lists into their own, which Dukjin Chang laughs is also a platform for readers to interact with each other.

Dukjin Chang reiterated that "the function of universities and libraries is to create, teach, promote and disseminate knowledge, and to serve the community with that knowledge," and that this is one of the ways in which academic units can reach out to the community, as well as the future direction of libraries. Libraries should find innovative ways to get out of the future, which is a positive attitude towards the future.