What Is the Secret Behind Seongbuk-gu Operating the Most U-Libraries Among Seoul's Districts?

District, 16th Establishes 13th U-Library Unmanned Reservation and Loan System... Operates the Most U-Libraries Among Seoul's Autonomous Districts... Unmanned Loan and Return Service for Easy Book Borrowing Anytime, Anywhere

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will operate its 13th U-Library starting from the 16th. This is the highest number among autonomous districts in Seoul.

The new U-Library will be installed in the Volunteer Center building (Jangwi Dream Forest I-Park Apartment Building 716, 1st floor). A Seongbuk-gu official stated, “Since 2012, starting with Seongbuk-gu Office, Sungshin Women’s University Station, and Wolgok Station, Seongbuk-gu has been building a U-Library unmanned reservation and lending system centered around subway stations with heavy foot traffic to create an environment where citizens can easily read books anytime and anywhere.”

The U-Library system allows residents to borrow and return necessary books through devices at subway stations during commuting hours. Through the Seongbuk-gu Integrated Library website or the Seongbuk U-Library mobile application, users can reserve books available for loan from 15 Seongbuk-gu public libraries and pick them up at their preferred unmanned reservation lending and return machines.

When the reserved book arrives at the reservation lending machine, the applicant receives a text message notifying the loan date, and upon confirmation, the applicant picks up the book from the unmanned reservation lending machine. This ‘unmanned reservation lending’ method played a significant role in alleviating citizens’ cultural thirst during the COVID-19 pandemic when face-to-face interactions were difficult.

Anyone holding a membership card as an external loan member of Seongbuk-gu public libraries can use the service. If you do not have a membership card, you can sign up and use the service through the ‘Seoul Citizen Card’ application. Users can borrow up to 2 books per person for a maximum of 14 days through the unmanned reservation lending service. It can be extended once for 7 days. However, if a user exceeds the loan limit of 5 books or has overdue books, the service cannot be used.

For more detailed information about the location and operating hours of Seongbuk-gu U-Libraries, please check the Seongbuk-gu Integrated Library website or contact by phone.

Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “The Seongbuk-gu U-Library, which greatly contributed to alleviating citizens’ cultural thirst during the difficult face-to-face COVID-19 situation, is expected to perform even more diverse functions in the with-COVID and post-COVID eras.” He added, “We will continue to make various efforts to promote the reading culture of Seongbuk residents.”

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