Libraries Beyond Walls: Goyang City Blossoms with Everyday Reading Culture

Goyang City Achieves 136,000 Participants Across 17 Libraries
Expanding to Outdoor and Workplace Spaces... Success in Creating Everyday Reading Environments
Over 500 Programs Held... Enriching Book Culture with Performances and Exhibitions
Libraries Stay Hot in Winter... Year-End Concerts and Vacation Programs Planned

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) has expanded its reading culture programs across 17 local libraries, significantly increasing opportunities for citizens to read in their daily lives. By September of this year, approximately 136,000 citizens had participated, with particular enthusiasm for initiatives that extended beyond library walls, such as the outdoor library program "Book, Outside" and the workplace library project "Book Dream."

Meeting with Kim Hyejung, author of 'Ggobuk Club (GO! BOOKCLUB)'. Provided by Goyang Special City

Unique Programs Like 'The Secret of Suseonggung' Gain Popularity... Broader Content with Performances and Special Exhibitions

This year, libraries in Goyang City operated a total of around 500 reading culture programs. Each library actively ran age-specific and specialized reading programs, with tailored offerings such as Bookstart for infants and Kkobuk Club for children proving especially popular.

Special programs held during Library Week and Reading Month also received strong responses, while the escape room program "The Secret of Suseonggung," conducted at four libraries, saw each session fill up quickly due to high demand.

At Aramnuri Library, seasonal performances were held, including "Spring, Listening to Johann Strauss II at the Library," "Summer, Listening to Giuseppe Verdi at the Library," and "Autumn, Listening to Robert Schumann at the Library." In addition, Hwajeong, Daehwa, Deogi, and Gajwa libraries hosted the Gyeonggi Indie Cinema film viewing program.

Notably, a series of special exhibitions, such as the "International Flower Expo Commemorative Collaborative Exhibition," "Meet Goyang Authors at the Library," "Goyang Archive 016: Documenting Goyang’s Villages," and "Book Illustration Exhibition," broadened the scope of cultural experiences available to the public.

Furthermore, the lobbies and general reference rooms of all 17 libraries displayed "Dobaldan Talk," a book introduction content series produced by the library discovery team, a group of Goyang librarians, providing citizens with even more diverse reading information.

'Book, Outside' Outdoor Library. Provided by Goyang Special City

2025: Continued Operation of 'Book, Outside' and 'Book Dream'... Libraries Beyond Walls Remain Popular

On April 19, the "Book, Outside" outdoor library program was introduced for the first time at the Book Shelter in Gangchon Park, Ilsandong-gu. Since then, the program has been integrated with local events such as the Children's Day Festival at Goyang Children's Museum and the Hwajeon-dong Village Festival, creating opportunities for citizens to enjoy reading and culture in natural urban settings.

The "Book, Outside" initiative also offered a variety of reading experience programs, including magazine sharing from previous years, instant photo booths, and reading board games for children. Citizens expressed high satisfaction with the unique reading experiences provided in the outdoor spaces, which were decorated with book curation displays, book baskets, and beanbag sofas.

Additionally, in the second half of this year, the "Book Dream" workplace library program was implemented to foster a reading environment within workplaces. This program, designed for employees who have difficulty visiting libraries, allowed them to encounter books naturally at work. Five local organizations participated: Goyang Youth Foundation, Korea Railroad Corporation Metropolitan Rolling Stock Maintenance Division, H&B Co., Ltd., Ilsan Dongbu Police Station, and Goyang International Flower Expo.

The selected organizations received support in the form of popular books, bookshelves, and reading materials. The inclusion of both public and private companies helped to spread reading culture across a wide range of workplace environments.

Poster for "Little Hands Story" at Juyup Children's Library. Provided by Goyang Special City

Winter Reading Culture Programs... Christmas Events, Year-End Performances, and More

Goyang City libraries have prepared a variety of programs combining reading and culture for a warm year-end and winter vacation season.

On December 16, Haengsin Children's Library will host "Santa Claus, Merry Christmas!" for first to third grade elementary students, where children will read the picture book "Santa Claus's First Christmas" and participate in a Christmas cupcake-making activity.

At Aramnuri Library, an arts-specialized library, a special year-end performance titled "Story Concert with the Flute" will be held at 3 p.m. on December 20 in the third-floor Aram Maru. The event will feature a classical flute and piano ensemble performance along with story readings.

Hwajeong Library will bring back the escape room program "The Secret of Suseonggung 2" during the winter vacation at the end of January next year, targeting fifth and sixth grade elementary students as well as middle and high school students. Nopbit Library will run "Writing During Winter Vacation!" for prospective third and fourth graders starting January 20, encouraging children to read books and express their thoughts in writing. In addition, Aramnuri Library will offer a lecture titled "Children's Habits" with Professor Lim Seungnyeol on January 15, providing guidance on child-rearing for parents.

Juyup Children's Library has opened the "Small Hands Story" exhibition to share the results of this year's participatory exhibition program and to showcase children's works to the local community. The exhibition, which began on December 8, will run until January 29, 2026.

For detailed program schedules and information, please refer to the Goyang City Library Center website or contact each library directly.