Dobong-gu Changdong Station Exit 2 Year-Round Open 'Smart Library' Opens

Establishment of Dobong-gu's First Smart Library at Exit 2 of Changdong Station, Offering 24/7 Unmanned Borrowing and Returning Service Without Reservation All Year Round

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dongjin Lee) opened a ‘Smart Library’ at Changdong Station on the 27th to expand non-face-to-face book lending services that can prevent COVID-19.

The Smart Library is an unmanned library where books can be borrowed and returned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Any regular member holding a Dobong-gu Public Library membership card can use it, and even without a membership card, users can issue a membership card non-face-to-face through the ‘Seoul Citizen Card’ app and use the service.

The Smart Library houses about 520 books selected from ▲ books frequently reserved for borrowing at libraries ▲ bestsellers and excellent new books ▲ recommended and selected books by reading-related organizations ▲ domestic and international award-winning works.

In particular, popular books could only be borrowed by visiting the library, so the district expects this Smart Library to receive great responses from commuters who do not have time to visit the library.

Books at the Changdong Station Smart Library can be borrowed for 14 days, up to 2 books per person, and can be extended for 7 days on the Dobong-gu Integrated Library website. However, if there are overdue books at the Dobong-gu Integrated Library, the service cannot be used, and books borrowed from the Smart Library can only be returned at the Smart Library.

For more details, please check the Dobong-gu Integrated Library website.

The Smart Library, located to the left of Dobong SE Market at Exit 2 of Changdong Station, held an opening ceremony with local residents at 3 p.m. on the opening day, the 27th. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Dongjin Lee of Dobong-gu, Chairman Jinsik Park of the Dobong-gu Council, and other guests, who personally used the Smart Library and shared congratulations with the residents.

According to library officials, the difference between the ‘Changdong Station Smart Library’ and the ‘U-Library’ at Dobong-gu Civic Center is that the Smart Library can be used without reserving books. The U-Library is an ‘unmanned reservation lending’ system where books are reserved on the Dobong-gu Integrated Library website and picked up at the designated time.

While the U-Library is convenient when borrowing specific books, it does not allow browsing the shelves to choose books, whereas the Smart Library allows borrowing immediately from the book list without a separate reservation, adding the ‘joy of encountering books.’

Mayor Dongjin Lee of Dobong-gu said, “As libraries are operating with limitations due to COVID-19, it is necessary to expand non-face-to-face services reflecting the current situation,” and added, “I hope the Smart Library becomes an active reading platform that reflects the diverse lifestyles of modern people.”

Dobong-gu Dobong Cultural Information Library