Ranked First Among 22,000 Libraries Nationwide
Expanding Cultural Infrastructure with Singil Chaekmaru Cultural Center and More
Yeongdeungpo District in Seoul (Mayor Choi Hokwon) has won the Presidential Award by ranking first among over 22,000 libraries nationwide in the "2025 National Library Operation Evaluation" organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
2025 Library Operation Evaluation Yeongdeungpo District Presidential Award Ceremony. Provided by Yeongdeungpo District.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism annually conducts a comprehensive evaluation of public, small, school, and specialized libraries across the country, assessing five areas: library management, human resources, information resources, facility environment, and library services, to select outstanding libraries.
Yeongdeungpo-gu Seonyudo Library, which received the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award last year, was selected as the top institution this year, establishing itself as a leading public library representing South Korea.
Seonyudo Library has evolved into an open space where generations can come together. To enhance the expertise of its librarians, the library operates educational programs in collaboration with external experts and authors, and has established a continuous development system through benchmarking domestic and international libraries. Additionally, it has expanded a balanced information access system and inclusive services, positioning itself as a "cultural platform in daily life" that grows together with local residents.
In particular, the dedicated space "Sairo" for adolescents received high praise. Created with a 1 billion KRW fund from the Book Culture Foundation Ssiat, this space is Seoul's first twin-generation (ages 12 to 16) specialized area, gaining attention as a new model for future generation-focused libraries.
Sairo features a variety of creative spaces in an open structure without boundaries. The facilities, reflecting the preferences of the twin generation, include the "Making Zone" for realizing imagination, the "Story Zone" for completing stories, the "Baking Zone" for hands-on baking experiences, the "Music Zone" for enjoying various music, as well as the "Movie Zone" and "Game Zone."
Thanks to these achievements, Seonyudo Library has solidified its reputation by winning numerous awards, including the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award for library operation excellence (2021 and 2024), the Seoul Mayor's Award for Outstanding Library (2023), the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award for innovative library ideas and best practices (2025), and the Director of the National Library for the Disabled Award for outstanding library services for people with disabilities (2025).
In addition to Seonyudo Library, Yeongdeungpo District opened the "Singil Chaekmaru Cultural Center" in June this year and is set to open the 3,300-square-meter "Yeouido Brighton Library" within the year. As a result, the district's library infrastructure ranking among Seoul's 25 autonomous districts is expected to rise from 16th to 4th place.
Choi Hokwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, stated, "Unlike traditional libraries, Seonyudo Library has established itself as a new model for future libraries and a complex cultural space where generations can learn and communicate together, thanks to its specialized spatial design and creative operation. Moving forward, we will continue to expand Yeongdeungpo's unique library services so that residents can enjoy rich cultural experiences in their daily lives."
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