Abstract

This study examines community engagement services provided by national university libraries in Korea and state university libraries in North America and explores strategies for their enhancement. It involved a review of library websites and literature from ten institutions in each region, along with in-depth interviews with eight Korean university librarians. The analysis revealed that community engagement services in university libraries have steadily expanded, and their importance has been increasingly recognized. Key areas of service include the use of library spaces and data, educational support, cultural programming, and institutional collaboration. However, the expansion of services has also led to challenges such as increased workloads, negative perceptions among university members, and shortages of funding and personnel. North American libraries tend to offer more open, digitally tailored services, while Korean libraries often face constraints in continuity and reach. The study proposes several improvement strategies: the establishment of systematic policies and institutional support at the governmental level; the development of shared resources and digital platforms among libraries; and the design and promotion of customized programs tailored to regional needs.