During the Joseon period, great efforts were made to create and develop metal types for printing and publication, and equal emphasis was placed on preserving the types after their production. These shelves were used to store and organize metal types that the government produced in the late Joseon period. Metal types were classified either by their specific style or by the radicals, or root components, of the Chinese characters. Upon being stored, the details of each type, including the name of the person in charge of the shelves, were recorded to ensure proper maintenance.