Incheon City Expands Hope Book Loan Service at Local Bookstores to 45 Locations...

Michuhol Library in Incheon announced on the 15th that it operates a service allowing residents to borrow desired books for free from 45 local bookstores across 9 districts and counties, excluding Ongjin County.

The "Direct Borrowing of Desired Books at Bookstores" service enables users to borrow and return books they want to read at nearby local bookstores without visiting the library. It started in 2021 with 7 bookstores in Namdong-gu, expanded to 41 stores last year, and now covers 45 stores this year.

The previous "Library Desired Book Request" service, which took an average of 2 to 3 weeks, has been changed to a bookstore pick-up method, reducing the book receipt period to within one week. The number of requests has increased annually, with 1,024 books requested in 2021, 4,525 in 2022, and 7,607 last year, reflecting growing citizen usage and positive response.

To use the service, users must sign up for the "Non-face-to-face Book Loan Membership" on the Michuhol Library website. Anyone who is a member of Michuhol Library (Chaegieum) can apply for books through the library website or mobile app and then visit their preferred bookstore to borrow them.

The loan period is 15 days including the loan date, and each person can request up to 3 books per month. After reading, returning the books to the bookstore allows the library to purchase and register the books as part of its collection.

A Michuhol Library official stated, "The Direct Borrowing of Desired Books at Bookstores service provides citizens with convenient opportunities to enjoy a reading culture and supports local bookstores that struggle to operate amid competition from large and online bookstores. We hope many people will use this service."