Nowon District Residents' Reading Community Support Project 'Gathered by Books' Promotion

Selected 40 Teams for Nowon-style Reading Community BookMomo... 500,000 KRW Support per Team for Book Purchase and Reading Activities... Reading Community Activity Support, Leadership Training, and Public Forum Operate Until Year-End

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is promoting the resident reading community support project “Chaek Mo Mo (Gathering through Books)” to revitalize the reading culture.

The Nowon-style reading community support project was established to expand the individual-centered reading culture into social reading through shared reading and discussion.

This “Chaek Mo Mo” project is being promoted in five areas: ▲ reading community support project contest ▲ support for reading community activities ▲ operation of leader guidance courses ▲ operation of public forums ▲ hosting exchange events.

Compared to the existing library village community contest projects, the advanced Nowon-style reading community support project Chaek Mo Mo has expanded the support target to 40 teams and significantly increased the book purchase support rate from 20% to 50%, providing and managing an annual activity fund of 500,000 KRW for book purchases and post-reading activities.

In particular, this year, a librarian in charge of the reading community will be designated for each public library to actively support community activities by utilizing library infrastructure and content.

As a result, the 40 or so reading communities selected through the contest in May showed increased diversity in participants, with a higher proportion of people in their 20s and 30s and males compared to the previous year.

This is one of the reasons why activities of reading together and sharing thoughts are expected to become the foundation for the development of the village community.

Each community is provided with various support from the library in addition to activity funds. Necessary content for maintaining the community, such as how to conduct reading discussions remotely and how to select books, can be learned through the “Leader Guidance Course” lectures.

Then, in the “Public Forum,” participants have the opportunity to encounter various books on common themes and expand their thinking through group discussions.

At the end of the year, an “Exchange Event” will be held with reading communities and village activists to create an opportunity for individuals and communities to influence each other and grow together.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “It is said that books make people, and our goal is to create a healthy village through activities of reading books together,” adding, “I hope the Nowon-style reading community project will unite individuals into one community.”