[Interview] Chaehyunil, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor: "Creating a Comfortable Library Like a Cafe to Become a 'Village Community Hub'"

Cha Hyeon-il, Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor, "Creating Libraries Where Children Play and Residents Freely Communicate"... Goal to Access Within 10 Minutes on Foot, 'Expanding One Village Library per Dong'... Building 3 Landmark Libraries... Groundbreaking of Singil Culture and Sports Library

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “The atmosphere in libraries is too solemn. Shouldn't they be spaces where children can run around and residents can freely communicate?”

In an interview with this publication, Chaehyunil, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District Office, stated, “Instead of rigid and angular libraries, we will create comfortable libraries like cafes that anyone can easily access on foot,” adding, “Through expanding libraries, we aim to build a city that communicates and grows through books.”

The reason Mayor Cha is focusing on library construction stems from his habit of being close to books and the great inspiration he received from visiting the Oodi Library in Helsinki, Finland, in August 2019.

Mayor Cha recalled, “Until now, domestic libraries have been located far from residential areas and mainly served as places for studying. As a result, they were solemn spaces where people were sensitive even to small noises. However, at the Oodi Library, residents freely read books, chatted in corners, and even ate snacks. It was a refreshing scene.”

He accelerated efforts to create libraries that are as comfortable to use as the Oodi Library. To improve accessibility, a specific goal of “usable within 10 minutes on foot” was set. Thus, the “One Library per Neighborhood Project” was launched to build a total of 18 libraries by 2022, one in each neighborhood.

Efforts to create distinctive libraries that people want to revisit also led to benchmarking other local governments. Field visits were made to Seoul, Gimpo, Paju, and other areas. In particular, Eunpyeong District’s “Gusan-dong Library Village,” which revitalized existing houses through urban regeneration, served as a valuable reference. The plan was to increase libraries by securing idle spaces such as vacant houses and shops within the district, not just public buildings.

Since starting with a small library in Yangpyeong 2-dong in 2019, eight libraries have been completed to date. Especially in Dangsan 1-dong, which suffered from illegal operations of “cafe-style general restaurants” named “Mokro” and “Jangmi,” a closed store was leased and converted into a library. It is said to have become a community hub along with the newly established residents’ lounge, revitalizing the neighborhood. Village libraries in Singil 1-dong and Dorim-dong are scheduled for completion in November, and the remaining libraries will be completed sequentially by next year.

From the planning stage, “resident-led library construction” involving local artists, architects, merchants, and youth has been implemented to generate interest and support.

Construction of three large libraries that will become local landmarks is also progressing steadily. The construction of Singil Culture and Sports Library, the library on the former MBC site, and the library on the Seoyoung Logistics site is proceeding smoothly.

On the 3rd, the groundbreaking ceremony for Singil Culture and Sports Library will be held. The library will be built on a 2,300㎡ site in Singil New Town 11 District, which was acquired free of charge, with a budget of 38.7 billion KRW. It will have two underground floors and five aboveground floors, with a total floor area of 7,471㎡. The first basement floor will be a parking lot, the second basement floor will be a swimming pool reflecting residents’ opinions, and floors one through five above ground will be the library. The design emphasizes openness to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. By 2023, each floor will be themed to create distinctive spaces such as an AI library, book cafe, and children’s library.

Remodeling of three existing district libraries is also underway with a budget of 6.8 billion KRW. At the end of last year, a full remodel of Daerim Library was completed, and work is currently ongoing at Mullae Library. Next year, the final remodeling of Seonyu Library is planned.

Once the libraries on the former MBC site (scheduled for completion around 2023) and the Seoyoung Logistics site (completed in 2022) are finished, Yeongdeungpo District will transform into a city filled with the scent of books, boasting six hub libraries and 18 village libraries. It is expected to take a step forward as a well-connected educational and cultural city through books.

Mayor Chaehyunil said, “Since books from other libraries in the area can be borrowed through interlibrary loan services, there is no need to fill libraries only with books,” adding, “We will create libraries centered on people rather than books and nurture them to become the focal point of the community.”

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