Picture 1. 'Listening to Myself in Spring, Reading a Book at the Library' Poster (ⓒ Seoul City)

In April 2025, Seoul marked Library Week(April 12-18) with a city-wide celebration involving 203 public and small libraries across its 25 districts. Coinciding with the national "Library Day" on April 12, the week featured a total of 677 reading and cultural events designed to promote book culture and public engagement with libraries.

Library Week has been observed since 1964, designating one week each April to promote reading culture nationwide through local libraries. Since 2023, Library Day has been officially designated as an official commemorative day, and Library Week now starts from Library Day. Through a range of reading-related programs and events, the initiative encourages citizens to embrace books as a part of their daily lives.

Seoul's 2025 Library Week slogan-"Listening to Myself in Spring, Reading a Book at the Library" -captured the season of spring while also reflecting broader cultural trends among the MZ Generation, such as the rise of "text hip" culture and a growing emphasis on self-worth. The slogan highlighted the role of libraries in fostering introspection and personal growth through everyday reading.

Seoul Library, the city's flagship institution, ran a special campaign under the slogan "Welcome, First Time at Seoul Library?" to attract new members. New library card holders received gifts and learned how to make full use of the library's services, including borrowing physical books and accessing e-books. This event was joined by 119 other public libraries across the city, each offering their own unique programs and benefits.

According to the 2024 National Library Statistics, Seoul's 212 public libraries have a combined membership of 6,659,356, meaning over 69% of Seoul residents are library members. The campaign also aimed to welcome the remaining 31% of residents to explore what the library system has to offer.

One eye-catching initiative was the 'Double Reading in Spring' program, aimed at encouraging book borrowing. During Library Week, the book loan limit per person was increased from 7 to 14 books. Additionally, 37 libraries raised the borrowing limit, ranging from a minimum of 5 books to unlimited borrowing at some locations. Some libraries also held an 'Overdue Amnesty' event, where returning all overdue books lifted any borrowing suspension period.

Seoul Library also hosted 677 diverse cultural programs as part of the celebration. These included author talks, meet-the-writer events, library tours, film screenings, and concerts and there were several notable events:

• Capturing Spring at the Library - a snap photography event with professional photographers

• Library Stories in Pictures - a creative workshop capturing memories with libraries through drawings and writings

• Library on the Road - a cultural heritage library tour program

• The Power of Small Habits That Change Me - a humanities-themed book talk and author lecture.

Local district libraries also hosted diverse programs reflecting their unique characteristics, from author lectures and book concerts to family performances and hands-on activities. Highlights included:

• Meet the Author Kim Ki-tae at Gunjadong Library and Yeoksam PureunSol Library

• Meet the Author Eun Yu at Bangbae Forest Environmental Library

(Original text source )

https://www.seoul.go.kr/news/news_report.do#view/432371