Restored Korean Rare Books Return to Hamilton Library

A woman in a white lab coat and a woman in a cardigan sweater stand in a conservation lab next a table with a blue mat and an ancient brown book sitting in front of them. — Hamilton Library’s Paper Conservator Liane Naʻauao and Korean Studies Librarian Ellie Kim unpack the restored Korean rare books in Hamilton’s Preservation Lab after traveling to Korea to pick them up in September 2026.

Large room with wood floor, art and artboards leaning against a white wall, and five long, low tables. Some are covered in white fabric and all have ancient documents. A man sits cross-legged at a table working. — *Jungjae conservation lab*

In 2025, the Korean Collection applied for a grant from the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF) to restore rare Korean books in its collection. OKCHF is a special corporation under the Korean government’s National Heritage Service, established to support the systematic survey, research, recovery, and utilization of Korean cultural heritage overseas. After securing a $50,000 award, the Jungjae Cultural Heritage Conservation Institute was selected to carry out the project. Jungjae, located in Seoul, is widely recognized as Korea’s top conservation lab, renowned for its work on national treasure-level items.

In September 2025, Korean Studies Librarian Ellie Kim transferred ten severely damaged volumes to Jungjae. As shown in the photos below, the books were in critical condition due to long-term exposure to water, insect damage, and wear, making them nearly impossible for users to consult.

Books in the original condition

In October 2025, a meeting was held with an invited bibliographer, Kim, and representatives from Jungjae to appraise the contents and editions of the texts.

Man wearing sport jacket and glasses sits at a table examining the ancient, damaged Korean books. — Bibliographer Yongyun Oh, a retired Incheon University *professor*, *examines the books*

The ten volumes encompass a wide range of subjects, including military manuals, travelogues, poetry collections, and Buddhist scriptures:

Pyongakchinam
Pullyu Tugongbusi
Pulsol Amitagyong
Orokhae (2 volumes)
Yeso Ch’agi (2 volumes)
Chuhae Ch’onjamun
Toigye Sonsaeng Munjip 3
Han’gangSonsaeng Pongsanyokhaengrok

The appraisal revealed that Pyongakchinam, in particular, holds exceptional historic value. Originally published in 1787, Pyongakchinam is a military manual detailing drill regulations, battle formations, marching orders, and commands accompanied by illustrations. It served as the Choson Kingdom’s core military training manual from the late 17th century onward. At the time, the central government distributed a small number of copies to local government offices, which then reissued local editions for regional military use. The Hamilton collection’s copy is a Namwon regional edition—the first known surviving copy from Namwon—making it extremely rare.

This September, the restoration work was officially completed. Kim and Liane Naʻauao from the Preservation Department visited Jungjae to inspect the restored books, pick them up, and safely transport them back to Hamilton.

Restored books arranged in a row with printed 'before' images above them. The encasing boxes are above the images. Other work tables and lots of rolled-up ancient texts can be seen in the background. — *Restored books at the Jungjae workspace*

Two women stand next to a table with an open box containing smaller boxes of books. — Naʻauao inspects the books with *Jungjae*’s Director, Jisun Park, *before they are packed.*

Moving forward, these newly restored books will be digitized and utilized for various educational, research, and exhibition initiatives. Special thanks are extended to former Korea Foundation Intern Minjae Kim, the Jungjae Cultural Heritage Conservation Institute, and the OKCHF for making this project possible.

Restored Korean Rare Books Return to Hamilton Library

Books in the original condition

Restored books

Paper Conservator Liane Naʻauao unpacks the restored Korean books in Hamilton’s Preservation Lab.

The Jungjae lab returned the booksʻ original binding materials.

The lab saved as much of the documents as they could. Here is what’s left of this book’s original cover.

Naʻauao holds up a piece of hanji the conservators gave her during their visit. Hanji is a traditional Korean paper made from the bark of the mulberry tree.