Seonyudo Library in Seoul and Pyoseon Middle School Library in Jeju Receive Presidential Citation

62nd National Library Conference Held on October 22
Awards Presented to 48 Libraries Nationwide

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected Seonyudo Library in Seoul (public library category) and Pyoseon Middle School in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (school library category) as outstanding libraries that have contributed to the development of library operations and services, awarding them the Presidential Citation. On October 22, the ministry held the opening ceremony of the 62nd National Library Conference at the Suwon Convention Center and honored a total of 48 libraries.

Interior view of Seonyudo Library. Provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The ministry annually selects and rewards outstanding libraries, discovers and disseminates exemplary cases, and strives to ensure that the public can enjoy a high-quality library environment. This year, candidate institutions were recommended by 16 metropolitan and provincial governments (including offices of education), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Justice, and the Korean Special Library Association. Following reviews by expert and merit evaluation committees, a total of 48 libraries were selected: two for the Presidential Citation, six for the Prime Minister's Citation, 33 for the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Citation, and seven for the Minister of Education's Citation. The award-winning institutions received certificates of commendation, prize money, and plaques recognizing them as outstanding libraries.

Digital Detox English Camp held at Pyoseon Middle School. Provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Presidential Citation was awarded to Seonyudo Library and Pyoseon Middle School. Seonyudo Library leveraged its location adjacent to elementary, middle, and high schools to develop a five-year long-term strategy to expand its youth user base. It established and experimentally operated a dedicated space called 'Sairo' for youths aged 12 to 16, encouraging voluntary participation and establishing itself as a youth-centered cultural and learning hub in the region.

Pyoseon Middle School operated an inquiry-based curriculum, internationally accredited, in conjunction with its library. Through this, students and faculty learned about academic integrity, copyright, and citation practices, supporting the implementation of academic ethics. In particular, the school reflected Jeju's local characteristics in the library's design and contributed to the enhancement of secondary education through various reading programs and information literacy education.

The Prime Minister's Citation was awarded to four public libraries-Subong Library in Incheon, Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education Central Library, Chungnam Library, and Beomeo Library in Suseong District-as well as Gwanpyeong Elementary School in Daejeon (school library category), and the Army Education and Training Command (military library category).

Lee Jeongwoo, Director General for Culture and Arts Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "We highly appreciate the efforts of the award-winning institutions, which have led to the spread of reading culture in local communities and qualitative improvements in library services. The ministry will continue to disseminate exemplary cases and strengthen practical support to promote balanced development of local libraries."

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