As the COVID-19 epidemic began to settle in Korea, Konkuk University decided to restrictively open and allow the use of reading room seats at the Sanghuh Memorial Library from May 4. The decision was made in order to meet the needs of students for a place to study.

The use of all reading rooms in the school’s library was limited to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since February 2. This was an inevitable decision, but many students who were planning to study in the reading rooms had to find a different place to study. The demand for a studying place was expected to increase as some face-to-face lectures were planned to start on May 4. KU acknowledged such demands and decided to allow the use of the library’s reading rooms from May 4 under thorough prevention against transmission of the virus.

A total of about 200 seats of the first, third and fourth reading rooms were available for students to use. Also, seats with partitions were the only seats provided and students were able to choose seats that were far apart from each other. The reading rooms were only open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and were closed on weekends. KU also limited the direct entrance to the third floor. As a result of this, students had to use the library’s main entrance and go upstairs to get to the reading rooms. Students also had to fill in a survey
about the contact with the virus and have a body temperature checkup before they could use the reading rooms.