Yangcheon Central Library Opens... Seoul National University Professor Kim Young-min's Special Lecture 'What Is Studying?'

Yangcheon Central Library Opens with 5,666㎡ Over 2 Basement and 4 Above-Ground Floors... Housing 74,000 Books Including E-Books, Featuring First Public Library Wheelchair Elevator, Retractable Seating, and Contactless Reservation Lending Machines

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yangcheon Central Library (81 Sinjeong-ro 7-gil, Sinjeong-dong) has completed construction and is fully prepared to welcome residents.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, “With the vision of companionship and growth, the library will represent Yangcheon-gu and lead the mid- to long-term leap of the Yangcheon-gu public libraries.”

Yangcheon Central Library is a representative public library of Yangcheon-gu, with a total floor area of 5,666㎡ across 2 basement levels and 4 above-ground floors, housing approximately 74,000 books including e-books.

Located at the foothills of Jiyangsan and Sinwolsan, and near the Yeonui Ecological Learning Center and Urban Agriculture Park, it boasts a nature-friendly reading culture space.

The district expects the library to become an optimized place for learning where reading spaces and hands-on experience areas harmoniously blend.

The construction of the central library, steadily promoted since the 6th local government term in 2016, went through basic planning, investment review, and design competitions, and construction began in 2018. After completing interior work and book purchases, it opened on January 2nd.

Yangcheon Central Library is operated by the Yangcheon Cultural Foundation and is equipped with various programs and convenience facilities to strengthen local cultural capabilities, expand library functions, and realize cultural welfare, leading the reading culture of residents.

With the vision of “companionship and growth,” Yangcheon Central Library aims to be an open library that dreams and grows together with the community.

The district is supporting local bookstores by purchasing books through the Yangcheon Bookstore Cooperative, which consists of 17 bookstores in the area. Since 2015, a total of 148,306 books have been purchased to stock Yangcheon Central Library and other local libraries. This practice of purchasing through local bookstores will continue to promote mutual growth.

Every month, a unique and conceptually distinct local small bookstore event called “Book Curation by Bookstore Keepers” is prepared to continue diverse cultural and artistic programs in collaboration with local bookstores.

Additionally, in the first half of this year, programs linked with neighborhood bookstores will be actively introduced. For example, the ecological specialty bookstore will operate the “Jungdo Children’s Ecological Writers Group,” where participants explore nature around Sinwolsan and Jiyangsan while writing and drawing. Independent publisher bookstores will offer book-making classes, preparing programs full of unique characteristics exclusive to small bookstores.

Various cultural events commemorating the opening are also being held. On the 6th, an online meeting with art historian Choi Yeol titled “Seoul Seen Through Old Paintings” was conducted via YouTube.

In January, a reading concert with jazz pianist Yi Jun and a meeting with Go Sun-young, author of the first relay book concert at the neighborhood bookstore “Akeo Bookstore,” are planned. The relay book concert, inviting authors specialized in various fields through collaboration with local bookstores, will continue at five local bookstores: Akeo Bookstore, Saebyeok Gamseong 1st Album, Kkotpineun Chaek, Kkoridalrin Chaekbang, and Sahae Bookstore, each focusing on their respective themes.

Furthermore, on January 25th at 7 p.m., a New Year special lecture titled “What is Study?” by Professor Kim Young-min of Seoul National University’s Department of Political Science and International Relations is scheduled. The first floor of the library will have a permanent exhibition of independent publications, allowing residents to access various independent publications that are usually hard to find, aiming to grow into a cultural library offering diverse cultural experiences.

However, due to social distancing measures related to COVID-19, book lending is available contactlessly, and event programs will be flexibly operated either face-to-face or non-face-to-face depending on the COVID-19 situation. For more details, please refer to the Yangcheon-gu Integrated Library website.

Yangcheon Central Library’s efforts to be an open space without discrimination are evident throughout. The basement 1 central hall features a state-of-the-art facility with 200 retractable seats designed for easy setup and dismantling during events. It is the first public library in Korea to install a wheelchair elevator considering socially vulnerable groups.

Optimized systems include reading magnifiers, voice systems that read PC screens aloud, and height-adjustable self-checkout and return machines. The general materials room also houses about 800 large-print books.

Additionally, the library holds 8,000 owned e-book titles and 8,000 subscription titles, provides over 25,000 VOD contents, and has installed a 550-cell contactless reservation lending machine outside the building to prepare for the post-COVID untact era.

Fully prepared as a space where everyone?from toddlers just starting to walk to seniors and socially vulnerable groups?can enjoy reading and unleash creativity and imagination, Yangcheon Central Library is more than sufficient to satisfy the reading culture needs of residents.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “Through books, we share each other’s knowledge and values. I welcome the opening of Yangcheon Central Library, which will enrich life by providing residents not only with intellectual thirst relief but also deep reflection and comfort about life. We will spare no support to walk and grow together with residents.”