910,000 Books Loaned Annually... Suji Library in Yongin Ranks First in Book Loans Nationwide

Yongin City Has 10 Libraries Ranked Among Top 100 Nationwide for Book Loans

Among all public libraries nationwide, Suji Library in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province recorded the highest annual number of book loans.

Exterior view of Suji Library in Pungdeokcheon-dong, Yongin City, which ranked first among public libraries nationwide with over 910,000 book loans last year. Provided by Yongin City

On June 19, Yongin City announced that Suji Library ranked first in the nation for the second consecutive year, with a total of 910,884 book loans (based on print books) last year, according to the "2024 National Public Library Statistics Survey" conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on 1,296 public libraries across the country.

Yongin City also added that, in addition to Suji Library, a total of 10 libraries in the city ranked within the top 100 nationwide in terms of book loans. Specifically, these were: Sanghyeon Library with 495,767 loans (17th place), Jukjeon Library with 415,609 loans (32nd), Giheung Library with 413,211 loans (33rd), Dongbaek Library with 388,704 loans (39th), Seongbok Library with 383,293 loans (40th), Jungang Library with 346,681 loans (63rd), Seonong Library with 344,845 loans (66th), Guseong Library with 314,079 loans (86th), and Heungdeok Library with 299,633 loans (97th).

The high number of book loans at libraries in Yongin is attributed to a variety of factors, including improved accessibility through diverse services, the expansion of reading culture programs, and environmental enhancements. Since last year, the city has implemented the "Book-eum" service, an integrated interlibrary loan system connecting public libraries, small libraries, and smart libraries. The city also operates the "Messenger Library" service, which allows users to search for books, make reservations, and request desired books via KakaoTalk.

Lee Sangil, Mayor of Yongin, stated, "We will continue to create a reading environment and provide services that befit our status as a city of knowledge and culture."