Kim Eun-mi, Librarian at Icheon City, Becomes First Librarian Appointed as "Master of Local Administration"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Kim Eun-mi, a librarian administrator at Icheon City Library, has been selected as the 15th "Master of Local Administration"—the first civil servant in the librarian position to receive this honor—and received the Prime Minister's Prize.

The award ceremony was held on December 31 last year at the Government Complex Seoul, with a total of eight recipients selected, including one Presidential Medal winner, one Prime Minister's Prize winner, and six Ministry of Interior and Safety Minister's Awards winners.

The "Master of Local Administration" is a system to discover and commend civil servants who have achieved outstanding results in administrative practice. Kim Eun-mi was recognized for her contributions in promoting reading and strengthening citizens' humanities competencies and for her role in innovating library services.

Kim Eun-mi has been in charge of establishing and operating public libraries and small libraries in Icheon City, and has worked to expand the reading infrastructure and improve cultural accessibility in the region.

In particular, in 2025, she has further expanded the reading environment within residents' daily lives through the opening of "Big Moon Small Library," "Icheon Municipal Seohee Library," and "Seolbong Park Smart Library."

Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she operated an online reading café called "Library in My Room" to support non-face-to-face reading activities, presenting a library service model adapted to the changing environment.

Along with this, she has contributed to expanding the library beyond a mere reading space to a regional cultural hub through reading culture projects such as selecting "This Year's Smart Books," holding "Writers Contest," and organizing "Icheon City Reading Club Gatherings." She has also worked to strengthen professional workforce development and educational infrastructure by pioneering the establishment of a bachelor's degree program in library and information science nationwide.

Meanwhile, this award is regarded as the first case in which a librarian civil servant working at a public library has been officially recognized for achievements in the local administration field, demonstrating that the administrative and professional roles of librarians are expanding.

Kim Eun-mi said, "With this award as an opportunity, I will expand the library's role so that more citizens can easily access reading and cultural activities," adding, "I will continue to make efforts to become a library that grows together with the community."