Grand People's Study House
| Grand People's Study House | |
|---|---|
| 인민대학습당 | |
Study House in May 2015 | |
| 39°01′13″N 125°44′59″E / 39.02028°N 125.74972°E | |
| Location | Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1 April 1982 |
| Architect | Kim Jong Il |
| Other information | |
| Website | Official website |
Building details | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neo-traditional Korean |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 인민대학습당 |
| Hanja | 人民大學習堂 |
| RR | Inmin daehakseupdang |
| MR | Inmin taehaksŭptang |
The Grand People's Study House is the national library of North Korea, located in the capital city of Pyongyang. The library was built in 1982 in honour of the Supreme Leader Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday. It is located in the centre of the capital, situated on Kim Il Sung Square by the banks of the Taedong River and opposite the Juche Tower. Both landmarks establish a connection between the people and the Juche ideology.
The library opened as the Pyongyang City Library on 13 November 1945, but was destroyed during the Korean War, reopening in 1954. The library is the centre of Juche studies, but lectures and materials concerning other topics, as well as foreign publications, can also be found there. Materials are strictly accessible to librarians and staff, but people can still search the online or print catalogues to find what they would like to borrow. A formal communication from the library is issued to the offender's employer if a borrowed item is not returned on time.