Seocho-gu Opens Nation's First AI-Specialized Umyeon Library

Silgam Library and Webtoon Zone Officially Open on December 22

Seocho-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jeon Seong-su), will officially open the "Umyeon Library," its 10th public library and the nation's first equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based library system, on December 22.

Silgam Library. Provided by Seocho-gu.

The Umyeon Library is located on the 4th and 5th floors of the newly opened Umyeon Open Culture Center. With a total floor area of 784 square meters, the 4th floor features the "General Reading Room," which includes a comprehensive resource room, offices, a book cafe, and an outdoor terrace. The 5th floor is designed as the "Children's Reading Room," which houses the 'My Own Silgam Library,' the Webtoon Play Zone, a youth room, and seminar rooms. The library offers a collection of over 26,000 books and 212 reading seats.

Serving as a core facility of the Seocho-style hub library network, along with nine other public libraries throughout the district, the Umyeon Library is characterized by its AI specialization, enabling all residents to enjoy future-oriented knowledge and cultural services.

The "My Own Silgam Library" in the children's reading room on the 5th floor is the nation's first space equipped with an AI library system. This digital library, implemented with an LED touchscreen, allows the AI to create a personalized library based on users' borrowing history, record and expand their reading history and content. Users can also display their own creative works or share them via social network service (SNS) accounts, offering a new kind of reading experience.

The "Webtoon Play Zone," a space for elementary and middle school students, is a specialized collection of webtoons and educational comics designed for a generation familiar with the digital environment. In addition to reading, the space supports learning and cultural activities such as board games and coding, allowing users to learn and create independently. In the future, utilizing the district's unique status as the Yangjae AI Special Zone, the library plans to develop and operate AI convergence creative programs in collaboration with local artists and research institutions.

Before the official opening, the district will conduct a pre-opening operation of the library from December 15 to 22. During this period, programs such as "Dive into the Silgam Library" experience for children, "Umyeon Library Talk Talk" where visitors can leave their suggestions for the library, and the SNS photo certification event "#UmyeonLibrary" will be held.

On the opening day, December 22, an opening performance with Seocho M Stars and a joint AI music concert will take place, along with a lecture by KAIST physics professor Kim Sangwook on "Wisdom in the Age of AI," as well as AI magic and AI photo experiences.

Webtoon Play Zone. Provided by Seocho-gu.

Starting with Umyeon Library, the district plans to establish a network of AI-specialized libraries and further strengthen residents' access to reading culture services by building the latest collections and implementing interlibrary loan services.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, "It is highly significant that the 10th public library in Seocho-gu, an AI special zone, is opening as an AI-based specialized library. We will build Umyeon Library as a national model for AI libraries and continue to expand Seocho-style future libraries that connect the community, people, and books."

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