Abstract

A braille library undoubtedly changes with a changing information environment. However "changing information service" as a topic couldn't be found among previous researches. That's the reason it felt necessary in this paper to analyze the way service in a braille library changes according to a changing environment. as well as to make clear the meaning and the role a braille library has for blind people. As a first step, a questionnaire aimed at Korean braille libraries was carried out in order to understand changes of library service. Results showed that most changes in braille library service were due to the influence of internet, directly or indirectly. In this connection. the way braille libraries made us of this new tool was analyzed as follows. Firstly braille libraries were found to help a better circulation of information from internet towards blind people. It appeared secondly that internet was also used in order to improve already existing services as well as new services. Thirdly libraries were shown to have developed new services related to internet although these services weren't initially library ones. These new aspects of library service constitute by themselves a proof of the importance of braille libraries, although blind people might in some cases obtain the wished piece of information without them. Therefore braille libraries prove to be remained necessarily even if information environment changes.t changes.