Over 15,000 English and Korean Books for All Ages Available
'Luca, the Reading Robot'... Brings Storybook Characters' Voices to Life Vividly
Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) opened its first specialized library, the ‘Gwangjin Children's English Library (Book Playground),’ on the 28th of last month. It was given the subtitle ‘Book Playground’ to encourage use as a fun and enjoyable space rather than a boring library where only books are read.
The library, located on the first floor of the Guui 2-dong Complex Building, covers an area of 267.35㎡ and consists of a reference room and a program room. It houses about 15,000 level-appropriate English books for children of various ages, allowing anyone to use it without hesitation.
In particular, the ‘Luca, the robot that reads books aloud,’ vividly brings to life the voices of characters from fairy tales, providing a high level of immersion. It also has a feature that allows parents to record their voices to read books, adding familiarity and fun. In the future, priority rental opportunities will be provided to socially disadvantaged families.
Additionally, various specialized programs are operated to stimulate children's interest in English reading and help them acquire it naturally. These include ▲My Little Challenge (a certification system for reading over 500 English picture books) ▲1-night 2-day English camp ▲Library Play Day, all in connection with the Gwangjin Public Library, along with parent education related to English reading.
Until the 14th of this month, the library is in a pilot operation period, during which only reference materials can be viewed. From July 15th, it will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will be closed on the first and third Tuesdays of every month as well as on legal holidays.
Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “We will do our best to prepare beneficial programs so that this can be a space where various cultural experiences can be enjoyed,” and added, “We hope people visit without hesitation and enjoy engaging with English in a fun way.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
