The Seoul Metropolitan Library receives the IFLA Green Library Award

The Seoul Metropolitan Library (SML) was honored with a 2023 Green Library Award presented by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) at the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC).

The Seoul Metropolitan Library submitted “The Eco Projects in Seoul Metropolitan Library for SDGs” to the IFLA and won the third-place award, following libraries in Canada and Italy. This is the first IFLA award given to a Korean library.

The Green Library Award is a prominent international award given to libraries around the world in recognition of their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals. The Seoul Metropolitan Library was recognized for its public outdoor library, a nature-friendly space for readers.

The library also conducted campaigns and projects to raise environmental awareness, contributing to eleven out of the 17 SDGs. One example is the “The Library Is Cool: Off & Go Library” campaign launched this year. This campaign was designed to help save on home heating and cooling bills and reduce carbon emissions by encouraging library visits during hot and cold weather. Over 170 public libraries in the 25 districts of Seoul are participating in the campaign. The library also introduced the Night Travel Library program in which cultural events are held at night in July and August when the summer heat reaches its highest, providing a special reading experience to citizens. This program uses solar-powered lighting to save energy.

In addition, the library recycled used placards to create book bags, limited the use of disposable products, and actively participated in the city government’s Zero Waste Seoul campaign. The Seoul Metropolitan Library is continuing its efforts to raise environmental awareness among citizens by providing related lectures, programs, and book curation.

(Source)

https://lib.seoul.go.kr/bbs/content/37_58383