Gwangyang City Library Kicks Off 2022 National Funding Support Project

Securing Four Projects Worth 270 Million Won This Month Alone, Raising Expectations for Reading Services

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] The Gwangyang City Library in Jeollanam-do has recently been consecutively selected for the 2022 national subsidy projects announced by central government ministries, brightening the prospects for securing national funds next year.

The Central Library was selected as the implementing institution for the "2022 Public Environmental Facility Carbon Neutrality Project," which supports carbon neutrality by enhancing energy efficiency and installing renewable energy facilities in buildings owned by public sector target institutions under the Ministry of Environment's target management system, receiving project funds of 131 million KRW.

The Central Library was also selected as the implementing institution for the "2022 Library Multicultural Service Support Project," which involves multicultural families, foreign workers, and local residents, securing 6 million KRW in national funds for operating reading culture programs.

This year, as part of the multicultural service support project, a national subsidy public project, the Central Library operated a magic fairy tale storytelling instructor certification class from July with 15 local multicultural family participants, achieving the great success of 11 people obtaining certification.

To expand the public's cultural enjoyment opportunities, three libraries including Central, Jungma, and Yonggang were included in the "2022 Public Library Opening Hours Extension Project," which operates libraries until 10 p.m. on weekdays, securing 68.1 million KRW in labor costs for this purpose.

Additionally, the City Library secured 65 million KRW in national funds from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the "2022 U-Library Service Construction Project," which supports the establishment of a 24-hour contactless book lending and return service, planning to create a smart unmanned library in the Jungma-dong area next year.

The creation of the smart unmanned library is a public project actively pursued to attract national subsidy projects to provide citizens with more stable non-face-to-face reading services after the City Library frequently closed temporarily due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, with a total project cost of 142 million KRW, a smart unmanned library was established at the entrance of the scenic forest next to the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art and opened together with the museum in April. As of the fourth week of November, 605 users borrowed 1,158 books.

Currently, the Gwangyang City Library is reflecting the project costs required for the "2022 Public Environmental Facility Carbon Neutrality Support Project" and the "2022 Public Library Opening Hours Extension Project" in the 2022 budget proposal, awaiting review and approval at the 2nd regular meeting of the Gwangyang City Council.

The project costs for the smart unmanned library, promoted through the "2022 Library Multicultural Service Support Project" and the "2022 U-Library Service Construction Project," are planned to be included in the first supplementary budget proposal next year.

Ko Geun-seong, Director of Library Operations, said, "Although there are many difficulties in operating the City Library due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we will actively secure national subsidy projects and national fund proposal project costs to expand library facilities, provide high-quality reading culture services, and improve citizens' information accessibility."

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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