'Book-Reading Bus' Arrives at Jowon Elementary School Playground...A Special Day

A bus decorated with figures and books pulled into the playground of Jowon Elementary School, nestled at the foot of Gwanggyo Mountain. The waiting students greeted it enthusiastically with cheers.

Jowon Elementary School in Suwon (Principal Jung Min-gi) operated the 'Book-Reading Bus,' a mobile library program, on the 13th for students in grades 1-3 on the school playground.

The 'Book-Reading Bus' is a mobile library operated by the nonprofit organization Small Libraries Makers together with KB Kookmin Bank. It is a repurposed 45-seat large bus equipped with bookshelves and audiovisual facilities, creating a reading space.

The event was organized to allow students to encounter books in a new and interesting environment outside their everyday reading spaces and to experience the joy of reading.

Students were able to freely read books inside the specially decorated bus and participate in reading culture programs including storytelling and book play with professional instructors, as well as various experiential activities.

A total of five classes, from Grade 1 Class 1 through Grade 3 Class 2, participated in today's program, with each class taking a 40-minute turn. It proved to be a meaningful time for students to develop their imagination by encountering books they normally see in classrooms or libraries in a different setting.

Principal Jung Min-gi stated, "I hope that the experience of meeting books in a new space—a bus—outside the classroom and library will become an opportunity for children to remember reading as an enjoyable activity," and added, "Going forward, we will continue to support children in becoming more familiar with books and experiencing the joy of reading through various reading programs tailored to each grade level."