Enjoy Staying Home This Chuseok with Gyeongnam Integrated Electronic Library

Popular Wise Online Reading Life for Practicing Social Distancing
Enjoy Over 55,000 E-books and Audiobooks from Gyeongnam Representative Library at Home

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Sharon] As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has increased the number of residents enjoying safe and wise online reading life at home, the Gyeongnam Integrated Digital Library is gaining great popularity.

The 'Gyeongnam Integrated Digital Library,' operated by the Gyeongnam Representative Library since January this year, allows members of public libraries in all cities and counties within the province to use over 55,000 e-books and audiobooks free of charge without separate membership registration.

E-books can be accessed 24 hours a day via smartphones or PCs. Audiobooks, read by professional voice actors, are increasing in users not only among the visually impaired but also among non-disabled people who can enjoy reading leisurely while hiking or doing housework.

In particular, during the temporary closure of libraries due to COVID-19, the number of users surged, with 53,880 books loaned, significantly contributing to quenching the reading thirst of residents.

Meanwhile, the Gyeongnam Representative Library is providing various non-face-to-face services along with e-books to support residents exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

They operate a 'Book Walk-Through' service where books requested online can be picked up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a 'Smart Library' that operates 24 hours a day, allowing users to pick up reserved books like at a vending machine.

Also, the humanities reading academy in September and October offers online lectures comfortably at home using Naver Band without going out.

Director Jeong Yeon-du said, “During this Chuseok holiday, it is expected that many families will spend long hours at home due to strengthened social distancing making hometown visits difficult. I hope that the non-face-to-face lending service will bring vitality to the boring stay-at-home life during this period.” He added, “Going forward, the Gyeongnam Representative Library will continue to implement various policies to support residents’ wise online reading life in line with social changes.”