Gangdong-gu Plans to Secure Over 100,000 Books
Professor Choi Jaecheon Donates 1,200 Volumes and Is Appointed Library Ambassador
On April 22, Gangdong-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Lee Soohee) announced the opening of the 'Gangdong Forest Library,' a library specializing in science, and stated that it will begin a pilot operation from April 25. The official opening is scheduled for May 14.
The Gangdong Forest Library (587 Gucheonmyeon-ro) is located within Myeongil Neighborhood Park and is a district-run library with a total floor area of 4,984 square meters, spanning from one basement level to three floors above ground.
The facility is organized into age-specific spaces: the first floor features an infants and children's reading room, the second floor houses a general reading room and an English reading room for children, and the third floor includes a youth reading room and a multi-purpose cultural space. At the time of opening, the library will operate with a collection of approximately 60,000 books and plans to expand its collection to over 100,000 volumes in the future.
Additionally, the district has incorporated information and communication technology (ICT) into the infants and toddlers' area to provide interactive content that encourages children's interest in reading. A separate digital creative space for teenagers has also been established. This marks the first time a district library has created a dedicated space exclusively for teenagers, and in this space, users can produce videos and webtoons.
The library aims to go beyond simply providing materials and will take an active role in future-oriented education based on science and technology. The 'Bookshelf of Scientist Choi Jaecheon,' established through a donation from evolutionary biologist and Ewha Womans University Distinguished Professor Choi Jaecheon, contains about 1,200 books related to biology. In collaboration with an artificial intelligence education institution, the library also plans to offer programs where participants can directly experience the principles of robotics.
The library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. It is closed every Tuesday and on national holidays. During the pilot operation period, users can read materials and use the spaces, but some services, such as book borrowing and returns, will be limited.
District Mayor Lee Soohee stated, "I expect the Gangdong Forest Library to become a knowledge and cultural space that integrates diverse experiences and learning, going beyond a simple reading area," adding, "We will actively support this space so that children can develop their imagination and creativity as they prepare for the future."
Meanwhile, on April 18, the Gangdong Cultural Foundation appointed ecologist Choi Jaecheon, Distinguished Professor at the Department of EcoScience at Ewha Womans University, as the ambassador for the Gangdong Forest Library. Professor Choi, who also serves as the chairman of the Biodiversity Foundation, has been at the forefront of popularizing science and promoting ecological sensitivity. He donated more than 1,200 science books from his personal collection to the Gangdong Forest Library.
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