Korean Architect-Designed Library Selected as One of the "7 Most Beautiful Libraries in the World"... Exploring Development Plans for Libraries as Cultural Hubs and Promoters of Reading Culture... Learning Features of the German Library System and Creating Opportunities for Cultural Exchange
Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it has donated 200 Korean books to the Stuttgart City Library in Germany, promising cultural exchange and mutual cooperation in reading culture.
The Stuttgart City Library in Germany is one of the "Seven Most Beautiful Libraries in the World" selected by CNN. Designed by Korean architect Lee Eun-young, it is a popular tourist destination frequently visited by Korean tourists and serves as a central hub for the local community.
The district has embarked on benchmarking advanced cases in Germany and the Netherlands to explore ways to create a healing city in Nowon where nature, people, and books harmonize, while proactively responding to climate change. On January 30 (local time), Mayor Oh Seung-rok visited the Stuttgart City Library in Germany, creating an opportunity for cultural exchange and mutual cooperation in reading culture. (Photo)
First, the district held a donation ceremony to present 200 specially selected popular Korean books from Nowon-gu public libraries to the library’s "Korean Books" corner, including "I Do Not Say Goodbye" by Han Kang, winner of the 2023 French M?dicis Prize, and "Summer Comes" by Lee Su-ji, winner of the 2022 Danish Andersen Prize.
In particular, in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year, the district curated a corner introducing the Korean holiday by gifting the Korean cultural picture book "Seolbim" by author Bae Hyun-joo along with a doll dressed in traditional hanbok attire.
Following this, a scroll containing the contents of the Korean book donation ceremony and a tea set (chaki) made at the Nowon-gu Choa Mountain Ceramic Experience Center were presented, creating a scene where Korean culture naturally meets the modern atmosphere of the city library.
During a nearly three-hour meeting with the city library officials, the district introduced its efforts and various programs to enhance reading culture, pledging exchange and cooperation focused on the library’s operational policies and its role in the local community.
The city library representatives responded, "About 40% of our city’s population are immigrant families, and to become a center of regional integration, the library collects books in about 30 languages worldwide. Especially, as the word ‘library’ is written in Korean on the library’s exterior wall, there is great interest in Korean culture, and we are pleased to have this valuable opportunity for exchange."
During this overseas benchmarking trip to Germany and the Netherlands, the district will also visit Freiburg University Library, Utrecht City Library, Rotterdam Book Mountain Library, and Delft University of Technology Library. The plan is to incorporate cases where libraries, as eco-friendly buildings, harmonize with nature and connect people through books into future library policies. To this end, the district met in advance in Seoul with architect Lee Eun-young, who designed the Stuttgart City Library, to discuss key spatial composition elements that could be applied to Nowon-gu’s library development.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok of Nowon-gu said, "Last year, the slogan for our district libraries chosen by residents was ‘Unfold Your Heart, Read Your Life,’ and we found common ground even in libraries that use different languages. We will actively implement policies so that residents can dream of a broader world through libraries."
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