Gwangju Nam-gu to Open 'Smart Library' in Hyochon 1 District

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The 5th Smart Library will be established in Hyochon Park, Hyochon 1 District, Imam-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.

Nam-gu announced on the 27th that it will operate an unmanned smart library starting from January next year to promote reading habits and improve user convenience.

The construction of the smart library was selected through the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “2022 U-Library Service Support Project” contest, and Nam-gu invested 140 million KRW in the project.

The smart library will be built with dimensions of 4.2 meters in width and 3 meters in length.

This library will be equipped with an automated book lending and return system so that residents can freely borrow and return books 365 days a year, as well as a data management database server network and VPN (security device).

Additionally, about 570 new and bestselling books will be purchased to provide residents with a book lending service that brings them closer to books.

The reason for placing the smart library in Hyochon Park is that the three district-run libraries are located in the downtown area of Nam-gu, making it difficult for residents in the outskirts, such as those in Hyochon 1 District, to use the district libraries.

The 5th smart library is expected to be frequently visited by many residents.

It is located between three apartment complexes, offering excellent accessibility, and there is a large floating population with 2,733 households concentrated nearby, including Bityeoul Elementary School.

A Nam-gu official stated, “We plan to complete construction by the end of this year, conduct a pilot operation in December, and officially open in January next year to provide full services. We will do our best to expand library infrastructure so that residents can enjoy a cultural life with books.”