Gyeonggi Provincial Library to Be Developed as a "Dynamic, Trend-Leading, Climate and Environment Library"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gab-dong] A blueprint has emerged showing the direction of operations and spatial composition for the "Gyeonggi Provincial Library," which is set to open in the second half of next year.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 15th that it plans to develop the Gyeonggi Provincial Library as a flagship cultural and lifelong learning platform that supports residents' cultural activities and lifelong learning in preparation for the library's opening.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Library is located in the Gyeonggi Convergence Town in Gwanggyo New City, Uicheon-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Suwon, and will be built with a total floor area of 27,775㎡ across four basement and five above-ground levels. Construction began in September 2022, with the current progress rate at 40 percent. The province plans to complete the building by the end of this year, undergo preparation procedures in the first half of next year, and open the Gyeonggi Provincial Library in the second half of 2025.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Library, which will be the province's first metropolitan flagship library, will oversee the overall library policies for approximately 2,000 libraries across the province, including 309 public libraries and 1,676 small libraries.

To this end, the province has presented "A Dynamic, Trend-Leading, Climate and Environment Library" as the vision for the Gyeonggi Provincial Library, and has established three strategic directions to realize this vision: a library with appeal, a library at the center of change, and a climate library preparing for the next 100 years. The following introduces the characteristics of the Gyeonggi Provincial Library by strategic direction.

■ A Library with Appeal – Gyeonggi Provincial Library that Residents Want to Visit

"A library with appeal" embodies the characteristics of a space that can draw in residents. It will support residents' access to information, reading activities, and other cultural activities and lifelong learning, allowing residents to experience the Gyeonggi Provincial Library as a life-friendly space.

To this end, the province plans to incorporate core values of convergence, creativity, and rest into various programs and operations.

Under the theme of convergence, which blends diverse groups, cultures, and knowledge, the province will operate programs such as "A Library That Reads Books Aloud" targeting children and information-disadvantaged groups, the "Hello World" program to learn cultural diversity, and will establish spaces for selling social economy products.

Planned creative programs include "A Library Where You Make Books (solo writing, webtoon creation, etc.)" and "K-Culture Sharing Studio (providing space to produce broadcasts and videos)." Under the theme of rest, the province will also implement "Care & Childcare (childcare programs for infants and toddlers)," "Book Forest Playground (a space where reading and play coexist)," and "Library Forest Campground."

■ A Library at the Center of Change – Gyeonggi Provincial Library Leading Library Policies in Gyeonggi Province

The Gyeonggi Provincial Library will function as a policy library representing Gyeonggi Province. Therefore, it will oversee library policy development and cooperative relationships, while being responsible for improving overall library service quality across the province through regional material collection policies, adoption of new technologies related to library operations, and training for administrators and activists.

To achieve this, the province plans to host the 62nd National Library Conference coinciding with the library's opening in 2025. This is a nationwide event where domestic and international library experts and related professionals gather to discuss library policy directions and share excellent programs. Through hosting the National Library Conference, the province aims to introduce the Gyeonggi Provincial Library's operating directions and specialized programs, and to reflect the latest library policy trends in library operations.

Electronic library services will also be expanded. With the opening of the Gyeonggi Provincial Library, the province plans to expand the region's largest e-book and audiobook services to allow residents to access books regardless of physical distance. A metaverse library service that allows users to experience the actual Gyeonggi Provincial Library through an avatar-based virtual space will open in June, and book delivery services for vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and pregnant women will continue to be expanded.

■ A Climate and Environment Library Preparing for the Next 100 Years – Carbon-Neutral Gyeonggi Provincial Library

The province plans to operate the Gyeonggi Provincial Library as a climate and environment library that spreads awareness of climate crisis. To this end, carbon reduction technology has been applied to the building, and ecological spaces will be created within the library.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Library building is an eco-friendly library that has received high-level environmental certifications, including excellent green building certification (Green Grade 1) and building energy efficiency rating 1++ grade. Below the underground parking lot of the Gyeonggi Provincial Library, geothermal energy will generate 739.28kW of electricity for heating and cooling, and 221.94kW capacity solar panels will be installed on the top floor. The province plans to proactively apply new technologies such as building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) and bidirectional smart electric vehicle charging.

An ecological space named "與YOUin Botanic" will be created within the library. By linking ecological spaces of the Gyeonggi Provincial Library and Gyeonggi Garden, it will provide residents with the experience of reading books while relaxing in nature. A "Seed Library Program" will also be operated to allow residents to directly participate in borrowing and growing seeds, so they can experience the value of ecological restoration.

Kim Dong-joo, head of the Library Policy Division, said, "We have developed an operating plan by synthesizing opinions from many experts and residents to make the Gyeonggi Provincial Library a comfortable place for all residents to visit and experience not only reading but also diverse opportunities for creation using culture, art, and artificial intelligence," and added, "We hope for the continued interest and support of residents so that it can become a central space for action and change in response to the climate crisis."