Creation of 'Smart Library' at Dapsimni Station and Yongdu Station in Dongdaemun-gu

Yongdu Station Open 24 Hours, Dapsimni Station Open 5 AM to Midnight Year-Round... Public Library Members Can Borrow Up to 2 Books for 14 Days Each

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Amid the prolonged closure of libraries due to the spread of COVID-19, Dongdaemun-gu is taking the lead to satisfy residents' thirst for reading.

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has installed 'Smart Libraries' inside two subway stations?Dapsimni Station (towards exits 7 and 8) and Yongdu Station (towards exit 3, Dongdaemun-gu Office direction)?to create a safe and convenient reading environment. After a pilot operation in early January, the libraries officially opened on the 11th.

The unmanned automated machines in the smart (intelligent) libraries are stocked with about 500 various new releases and bestsellers, allowing users to freely borrow and return books directly through the machines.

In particular, since the smart libraries are located inside subway stations with easy access, busy office workers who find it difficult to visit traditional libraries can conveniently use them.

Additionally, as a contactless service, it can be safely utilized even during the COVID-19 situation.

Any regular member of the Dongdaemun-gu public library can borrow up to two books per person for 14 days. The smart library at Yongdu Station operates 24 hours a day, while the smart library at Dapsimni Station is available from 5 a.m. to midnight, matching the station's operating hours.

Furthermore, the district analyzes and reflects the bestsellers from the smart libraries and the popular loan book lists from the libraries to regularly update the latest books.

In the future, the collection will be diversified to include not only general non-fiction but also children's books, expanding the range of users.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “We established smart libraries so that residents can enjoy reading conveniently and safely in the post-COVID era. By providing an environment where residents can easily borrow books on their commute, we will revitalize the local reading culture.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.