‘Mapo Naru Space’ combining autonomous study spaces, book cafes, and metaverse libraries within a general library opens on the 31st
Library open weekdays from 9 AM to 6 PM, autonomous study space available 24/7 afterward... maximizing operational efficiency
Autonomous study space usage fee is 500 KRW, minors’ entry and exit times notified to parents via text message
Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) has established ‘Mapo Naru Space,’ which brings together autonomous study spaces, a book cafe, and a metaverse library within a general library, and held an opening ceremony on the 31st.
Mapo Naru Space was created through a donation as part of the urban maintenance-type redevelopment project in Mapo-ro 1-24 district and is located on the first floor of Hotel Naru in Dohwa-dong (8 Mapo-daero). The total area of 835.7㎡ includes a materials room with over 4,300 volumes, an autonomous study space (reading seats) with about 140 seats, and a cafe-style relaxation area.
To enable reading anytime and anywhere without visiting the library, it also features a metaverse library and a video electronic library. At Mapo Naru Space, laptops or tablets are lent free of charge to use these services.
A district official explained, “A survey conducted among local residents regarding library operation showed high demand for space utilization and openness, operational efficiency, and expansion of digital content,” adding, “Mapo Naru Space was designed to meet all these resident demands.”
A particularly notable aspect of space utilization and operational efficiency is what happens after the library (materials room and reading room) operating hours end. Instead of closing the library, it is opened as an autonomous study space where youths can freely study during late-night hours. However, there is a usage fee of 500 KRW per session.
Accordingly, the district operates the library within Mapo Naru Space as a space for book reading and lending from 9 AM to 6 PM on weekdays, and as an autonomous study space from 6 PM to 6 AM the following day.
In particular, the autonomous study space will operate not only during late-night hours on weekdays but also on weekends and public holidays to enhance convenience for residents. On weekends and public holidays, it is available from 9 AM to 6 AM the next day. Parents of minors can check their children’s entry and exit times via text messages by registering as integrated members of Mapo-gu public libraries.
The cafe-style relaxation space is also available year-round.
The metaverse library and video electronic library can be accessed through the Mapo Naru Space website. Inside the metaverse library, a virtual space using a metaverse platform, users can experience various lectures and games, while the video electronic library offers various e-book contents.
For more details, inquiries can be made through the Mapo Naru Space website (within the Mapo-gu public library website under Mapo Naru Metaverse Library) or the Mapo-gu Education Policy Division.
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “The newly opened Mapo Naru Space is expected to become ‘Mapo-gu’s first dream space’ by fulfilling the reading and learning needs of local residents while operating as an autonomous study space for youths.”
Nowon-gu establishes libraries within a 10-minute walk
Starting with remodeling Wolgye Library in May to build basic infrastructure
Building a future-oriented library system, reorganizing book delivery services, and developing visual branding
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is making major improvements to its library operation system, including building a future-oriented library.
The Nowon-gu library improvement project, which currently has about 350,000 members and recorded 800,000 book loans last year, focuses on expanding book infrastructure and improving lending services.
First is the creation of ‘Our Neighborhood Library within 10 minutes.’ The district is divided into seven local living areas?Wolgye, Gongneung, Hagye, Junggye, Nowon, Madeul, and Sanggye?and will expand infrastructure centered on these hub libraries. Starting with remodeling Wolgye Library in May, six public libraries will be built, and three others will have their spaces and facilities newly renovated.
The ‘Book Lending Service Improvement’ prepares for a future library by adding artificial intelligence functions to the autonomous book lending system. By September, information and communication technology systems will be expanded for efficient book management, and the website will be revamped to make it more convenient for users.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District (left), is touring the New York Public Library and receiving explanations from an official.
Digital content such as e-books and audiobooks will be increased, and personalized book recommendation services will be expanded through kiosks. From August, smart libraries capable of 24-hour unmanned automation will operate at Nowon Station and Hagye Station, which have high foot traffic, and services such as book returns to other libraries and unmanned reserved book lending will be expanded.
The ‘Neighborhood Bookstore Direct Lending’ service, where requested books are picked up at local bookstores in the village, had 14,092 applicants last year and provided a total of 11,522 requested books, a 66% increase compared to the previous year. The ‘Ddingdong Book Delivery Service,’ which delivers books to users who find it difficult to visit the library, was used by 627 people last year, delivering 2,735 books.
To minimize delivery delays caused by increased book logistics, the book delivery service will be outsourced starting March next year.
Nowon-gu public library has also begun developing a visual brand design that reflects its unique identity and future vision. This aims to increase the library’s familiarity and strengthen its competitiveness through internal and external promotion. It is scheduled to be unveiled in May.
Additionally, various library projects will be carried out. These include the empathetic reading culture program ‘Nowon-gu One Book Reading,’ the ‘Chaekmomo’ project supporting small group activities centered on reading, the humanities book concert ‘Unnoticed Private Things’ combining reading and culture, the sharing reading activity ‘Reading In’ for reading-vulnerable groups, meetings with authors, and customized humanities, culture, arts, and experience programs by life cycle to improve residents’ quality of life.
The district benchmarked the Boston and New York public libraries, which have long histories, for this library operation system improvement. It plans to apply advanced cases where information services from other local institutions (literacy, employment support, welfare, etc.) are provided to users in an integrated manner to the future Nowon-gu public library.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We will strive to build libraries within a 10-minute walk so that many daily lives of residents are contained in the library,” adding, “Ultimately, we will develop our libraries into places that provide not only book information but also various information that residents need, such as culture, education, employment, and welfare, just like advanced cases.”
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