In April, the library policy forum "Nowon-style Future Library: Asking Librarians and Architecture for Directions" was held... Various library-based projects such as "Direct Borrowing from Local Bookstores," "Chaekmomo," and "Humanities Concert" were launched
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] According to a research report analyzing the usage patterns of public libraries in Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts by residence, education level, and income, as of December 2020, there are a total of 187 public libraries located in Seoul.
By district, Gangnam-gu has the most with 14 libraries, and Nowon-gu ranks 4th with 11 libraries.
The budget status of public libraries is also noteworthy. Looking at the budgets allocated to libraries by each district in 2021, Jongno-gu ranks first (approximately 12.8 billion KRW), Gangnam-gu second (approximately 11.7 billion KRW), and Nowon-gu third with about 11.5 billion KRW.
This shows that considering the financial independence and budget conditions of each district, Nowon-gu is investing a significant budget in library-related projects.
Nowon-gu libraries, with about 380,000 members and 2.8 million annual users, are making new attempts to meet the changing times and citizens’ expectations regarding library spaces.
To improve the quality and development of public libraries, the district held a Nowon-gu Library Policy Forum on April 7 at the Nowon Culture and Arts Center. This event was organized to share thoughts on the future direction and role of libraries as Nowon-gu public libraries mark their 20th anniversary.
The forum was divided into two parts: Part 1 shared research on the medium- to long-term development of libraries and results from citizen perception surveys, and Part 2 involved in-depth discussions on library spaces and user services from the perspectives of libraries and academia.
In Part 1, Professor Jaemin Ko from Suwon Science College gave a lecture titled “Libraries, Asking the Way to Architecture,” highlighting the status of libraries as the only public institutions where all generations can gather and communicate, and emphasizing the need to prepare various communication spaces that overlap openness and convergence, such as rest and culture.
Centered on the keynote presentation, Part 2 featured panel discussions on library spaces and user services with Nowon Cultural Foundation’s Library Policy Director Junghwan Yoon, Professor Kyungjae Bae from Dongduk Women’s University, Professor Seunghee Han from Seoul Women’s University, and the director of Nowon-gu libraries.
There was a proposal to prepare a “Nowon-type Future Library” as a space for reading, culture, enjoyment, and healing, and time was taken to understand that the role of librarians will change and become more important in the future.
Additionally, it was decided to continue field-centered discussions and strengthen the authority of library staff, including librarians, so that they can be key agents in the development process of libraries.
Meanwhile, the district has faithfully fulfilled the public functions of district libraries and continued various projects aimed at community recovery through books.
The “Neighborhood Bookstore Direct Loan” service, which quickly loans new or unowned books through local bookstores not available in district libraries, has been a model case securing user convenience while promoting coexistence in the reading ecosystem between libraries and neighborhood bookstores. Since its first implementation in April 2021, 10,116 applications have been made, providing a total of 7,549 requested books.
The “Ddingdong! Book Delivery Service” delivers desired books to the homes or workplaces of residents who have difficulty using library materials, such as people with disabilities, pregnant women, and office workers. Last year, it provided 1,243 books to 425 users, striving to create an environment conducive to reading.
Various projects based on libraries are also underway. These include “Reading In,” where volunteer readers visit vulnerable groups to read books, “Nowon-gu One Book Reading,” a culture of empathetic reading, and the “Chaekmomo” project supporting small resident groups to read and communicate together. The humanities book concert “Unnoticed Personal Things,” which combines reading and culture, attracted attention with participation from Korea’s representative novelists Han Kang and Choi Eun-young, as well as Professor Sangwook Kim.
A district official said, “This forum and the exchange between on-site librarians and academia will be a major driving force in creating the Nowon-type future library,” adding, “We hope that future libraries will establish themselves as complex cultural spaces where residents can enjoy culture and communicate.”
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