The first Seongbuk-gu Public Library Policy Governance Forum drew about 110 participants, including residents and library officials.
- The forum shared public-private-community cooperation cases and outcomes to chart a sustainable path for library operations.
Seongbuk-gu in Seoul held the first Seongbuk-gu Public Library Policy Governance Forum on Thursday to discuss the future of public libraries shaped together by residents and local institutions.
Held under the theme "Beyond Boundaries, Into the Lives of Citizens: Seongbuk-gu Public Library," the forum was organized to share the district's library governance cases built on public-private-community cooperation, review achievements and challenges to date, and explore directions for sustainable library operations.
The event drew about 110 participants, including librarians from Seongbuk-gu public libraries, local residents, library and information science students from universities in the district, and library officials from other autonomous districts, reflecting strong interest in the role of libraries and community cooperation.
Representatives from Seongbuk-gu Public Library, Seoul Metropolitan Library, Gangdong-gu Public Library and local universities took part in the forum, sharing library policy and on-the-ground operational experiences. Participants exchanged views on how libraries can develop in partnership with their communities, drawing on each institution's experience and academic perspectives.
Local institution representatives and residents who have worked with Seongbuk-gu Public Library then joined as panelists to share experiences gained in the field. The forum particularly examined the importance of cooperation in enabling libraries to function not merely as spaces for reading and borrowing books, but as community hubs connecting residents with local resources.
The forum carried added significance in that library policy was not confined to administrators and experts — residents and local institutions were brought in as equal partners in the discussion. It served as an occasion for diverse stakeholders to share operational experiences, understand one another's perspectives and confirm the potential for ongoing collaboration.
Seo No-won, chief executive of the Seongbuk Cultural Foundation, said libraries are "a lifestyle cultural platform connecting residents and the community," adding that "when diverse stakeholders come together across boundaries, libraries can permeate citizens' lives more deeply."
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