Working with the Theodore Richards Conant Collection: An Internship in the C. V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University
Kangmi Kwon, Korean Foundation Intern
3/2/2026
Since May 2025, I have had the opportunity to work with the Theodore Richards Conant (TRC) Collection at the C. V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University. I majored in Library and Information Science in Korea and received support from the Korea Foundation to pursue this internship. Over the past ten months, I have contributed to digital collections and metadata creation while observing how an academic research library prepares materials for long-term scholarly use.
The TRC Collection is a special collection documenting postwar Korea, composed of materials donated by Theodore Richards Conant. It includes film reels, photographs, and paper materials that capture Korean society, culture, and reconstruction efforts following the Korean War. Currently, the paper materials and photographs are undergoing digitization and are not yet fully accessible through Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections. However, the film materials have been digitized and are available online.
*Figure 1: Archival boxes containing physical photographs from the TRC collection.
Working closely with these materials, I found the photographic sub-series titled “Film Crew” particularly memorable. This sub-series documents the activities of the UNKRA Film Unit in Korea and captures scenes of postwar Korean film production—crew members operating equipment, coordinating shoots, and collaborating on set. The images provide visual insight into the production environment of Korean cinema during this period. They also include photographs of the Korean film director Lee Hyung-pyo(Yi, Hyŏng-p’yo), offering valuable documentation for researchers interested in early Korean film history.
*Figure 2: Director Hyŏng-p’yo Yi filming a grandmother and children sitting on the floor.
Because Theodore Richards Conant was affiliated with UNKRA, the collection preserves substantial documentation of UNKRA’s activities in Korea. For scholars studying postwar reconstruction, Cold War-era international cooperation, media history, or modern Korean history, the TRC Collection offers significant primary source material. The presence of many English-language documents also makes the collection accessible to international researchers. More detailed information can be found in the TRC Collection finding aid.
*Figure 3: A crowd of students protesting in the streets, holding signs that read “Protecting democracy through student power.”
My role in the digitization process focuses on metadata creation—building structured access points that allow users to discover and interpret materials effectively. With a background in information organization and experience working with structured data, I have come to understand metadata as both technical and interpretive work. Assigning titles, subjects, dates, and creator information requires careful consideration. Through this work, I have gained a deeper appreciation for how descriptive practices influence the discoverability of knowledge.
*Figure 4: Snapshot of the metadata sheet.
Beyond my daily responsibilities, I have visited major libraries across the United States, including the New York Public Library, the Boston Public Library, and the Library of Congress. I was impressed by how these institutions present historical architecture and traditions alongside modern services and user-friendly facilities. As a resident of New York, I frequently use the New York Public Library and participated in its free English language learning program during the summer. This experience highlighted the role public libraries play as inclusive civic spaces. Observing different institutions has encouraged me to reflect on how knowledge is curated and presented to diverse communities.
Over the past ten months, I have learned from dedicated librarians and colleagues and observed how much collaboration and coordination are required before a collection becomes publicly accessible. In an era when information circulates rapidly, contributing to the preservation and organization of historical materials has been a meaningful experience. Academic libraries play an important role not only in preserving materials but also in supporting how knowledge is discovered and interpreted over time. I hope that students and researchers will continue to explore the collections and programs offered by Columbia University Libraries.