Goyang City Renovates Libraries... Education and Culture Level 'Upgraded One Step'

Expectations for Goyang City Libraries Changing in 2025
Promoting Community-Linked Projects with Schools, Hospitals, and Disability Daycare Centers to Spread the Joy of Reading
Aramnuri and Daehwa Library Remodeling
Baekseok Library Reopening as an English Library

The Goyang Special City Library Center (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) is set to comprehensively improve library environments and services in 2025, reaching out to citizens with a wider variety of reading culture programs. The center plans to remodel both the interior and exterior of Baekseok, Aramnuri, and Daehwa Libraries, focusing on enhancing local residents' access to information and expanding the role of libraries as cultural spaces.

Regional Reading Ecosystem Support Project 'Seojeong Elementary School, Meeting with Author Yoo Eun-sil'. Provided by Goyang Special City

According to Goyang Special City on the 26th, the city promoted a project linking municipal libraries and school libraries through the 2024 regional reading ecosystem support project, in cooperation with the Goyang Office of Education. A total of 19 libraries and 56 schools participated, operating various programs to support students' reading activities. Students' works were showcased at the 2024 Goyang Reading Festival and later connected to a traveling exhibition at municipal libraries, gaining great popularity.

Additionally, to revitalize the regional reading ecosystem, meetings with authors visiting schools were held for reading clubs at five local schools. From September to December, the following meetings took place: Seojeong Elementary School with author Yoo Eun-sil (author of "My Lindgren Teacher"), Songpo Elementary School with author Choi Eun-ok (author of the "My Way Drawing Series"), Jangseong Middle School with author Jeon Ann (author of "We Are Minus Two"), Baekyang Middle School with author Kim Sun-young (author of "The Shop That Sells Time"), and Wondang Middle School with author Kim Dong-sik (author of "Gray Human").

Regional Reading Ecosystem Support Project 'Songpo Elementary School, Meeting with Author Choi Eun-ok'. Provided by Goyang Special City

In December, cooperation between Hwajeong Library and Baekyang High School, Haengsin Children's Library and Deogeun Hangang Elementary School, Nopbit Library and Mokam Middle School, Daehwa Library and Seongjeo Elementary School & Daehwa Middle School, and Juyop Children's Library and Oma Middle School led to a book curation program where students recommended books and exhibited them in libraries.

Goyang Special City operated a reading culture support project based on a renewed business agreement in August between the Goyang City Library Center and the National Health Insurance Ilsan Hospital to enhance reading accessibility for patients and their caregivers who find it difficult to use libraries.

From October to November, various reading culture programs were held at multiple locations within Ilsan Hospital. "Dorandoran Picture Book Day" involved the Haengsin Library reading club "Nangdokwandok," which provided reading sessions for child patients and their caregivers. The "Picture Book Concert" featured "Seongu Sarang," a group of voice actors from the Korea Voice Actors Association, who presented a special performance combining voice and music.

Ilsan Hospital Reading Culture Program 'Doran Doran Picture Book Day'. Provided by Goyang Special City

Additionally, a visiting Bookstart program titled "Using Picture Books for Healing and Communication" was conducted for caregivers of child patients, and workplace reading club training was provided for Ilsan Hospital staff, enhancing program satisfaction among various readers.

Meanwhile, the city was selected for the 2024 Gyeonggi Province reading activity support project for information-vulnerable groups and operated programs linked with disability day care centers. These programs were held at Hwajeong Library with Wondang Disability Day Care Center (12 sessions), Ilsan Library with Goyang City Disability Day Care Center (12 sessions), and Deogi Library (12 sessions), providing about 300 information-vulnerable users with meaningful opportunities to engage more deeply with reading.

Remodeling of Baekseok, Daehwa, and Aramnuri Libraries in Goyang City is progressing smoothly. The Baekseok Library remodeling project involves a total budget of 9.5 billion KRW, including 6.3 billion KRW in national and provincial subsidies, to green remodel the aging Baekseok Library with a total floor area of 4,030.5㎡, transforming it into an English-specialized library. After completion, Baekseok Library will expand its role as an English library and is scheduled to reopen in March 2026, offering programs specialized for a global reading environment.

Baekseok Library exterior. Provided by Goyang Special City

Daehwa Library, scheduled to reopen in January 2026, will undergo remodeling of its entire exterior, including the basement floor 1 and four above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 3,901㎡. The project budget is 3.4 billion KRW, including 2.7 billion KRW in national and provincial subsidies.

Aramnuri Library will receive 100 million KRW in provincial subsidies and invest a total of 300 million KRW to repair the aging building, integrate and redistribute the reading rooms for more efficient use of space. Aramnuri Library will close for about two months starting March 2025 and aims to reopen in May after remodeling.

Goyang Special City plans to focus on resolving library aging issues through these facility improvements, creating a safer and more comfortable environment, and providing citizens with services reflecting the latest technology and a convenient and efficient reading environment.

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City. Provided by Goyang Special City

Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City said, "With the reopening of Baekseok English Library and Daehwa and Aramnuri Libraries, we expect the educational and cultural level of Goyang City to rise further," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that libraries become the central axis connecting the community and establish themselves as cultural spaces that enrich citizens' lives."