We currently have capacity for about 30,000 volumes. Since countless new titles are published every day, we apply conservative, strict standards for what comes in. In our early days, we commissioned specialty bookstores to curate 500 books each by category, which we then purchased—an attempt to build expertise while supporting independent bookstores. Since then, we’ve collected our holdings based on our own definition of a “good book”: one close to a classic, likely to endure and survive the passage of time. Even new releases are carefully selected if they have the potential to become future classics or raise profound social questions. Our staff review every new title published each month to shortlist candidates, and we also run a verification system through our member group, “Novel of the Month,” where readers read and rate books themselves. Through this process, we continue to offer books worth keeping close for the long haul.

Everyone says this is an era when people don’t read. That’s exactly why we wanted to serve as a bridge between the object of a book and the actual act of reading. We aim to be more than just a library—a “cultural salon” where people can enjoy various arts rooted in literature. So we try all kinds of programming to offer imaginative, hands-on experiences outside the ordinary—combining literature with art forms that have always breathed alongside it, like visual art and music.

One example is our “reading tasting,” where participants read a literary work featuring a particular drink, and a bartender mixes that very drink for them. Another is the “Night Library,” a Halloween reading event held entirely by the light of hiking headlamps, with all other lights turned off.

We’ve long supported writers by providing writing studios and stipends through building leases, and we’re currently developing a residency complex exclusively for writers in Hongcheon-gun County, Gangwon State (Gangwon-do Province). The goal is to create an environment where writers can fully immerse themselves in their creative work. The reason we run this program lies in the very founding purpose of our foundation, the Sojeon Cultural Foundation. Guided by the belief that “learning leads one to a state of ultimate fulfillment,” the foundation holds that books guide people toward their best selves. If a good library is a space for readers, then for that space to endure, it needs a steady stream of “creators who make good books.” That’s what we consider a healthy reading ecosystem.

Yes, we’ll keep the paid model. As a private library, we provide a minimal source of funding for independent operation, but the more important goal is maintaining the best possible atmosphere for immersing oneself in books. The paid model discourages superficial, drop-in use and helps ensure that people who genuinely love books can fully enjoy the value of the space. That’s what has allowed us to control noise, even down to the carpet on the floor, and create a deeply immersive reading atmosphere. That said, to lower the barrier to entry, we also run various open programs alongside the paid model—like half-day discount passes on “Culture Day” every Wednesday, and free days—to strike a balance with our public role.

Our goal is to last a long time. That’s the most urgent and important ambition we have to fulfill in order to remain, for years to come, a space where books are never mere decoration but truly the masters of the space.

It began with internal concerns. The first was the absence of a children’s space—as a policy-focused library, the atmosphere wasn’t welcoming for families with kids. The second was the lingering trauma of COVID-19, as citizens remained wary of enclosed spaces. The third was the need to expand our user base, as the existing library had failed to attract new readers.

We completely eliminated the checkout process so that anyone could read without barriers. We believed that when people are given autonomy, their sense of civic responsibility naturally follows. So we ran the space around a “zero loss campaign” and a “take your trash with you” policy. The results were striking: we received few complaints, and almost no books went missing.

Innovating the space alone—setting out vivid beanbag chairs—wasn’t enough to guarantee sustainability. To make people want to come back, we felt that innovating the content was essential. We partnered with the Seoul Science Center to hold night-sky stargazing sessions, and worked with foreign embassies and cultural centers to offer multicultural programs. In collaboration with external partners, we’ve made ballet, theater, live music performances and author talks a regular fixture on-site. That is how we achieved “content innovation”—filling every visit with enriching, enjoyable experiences that ensure long-term sustainability.

We moved on to innovating reading culture itself. We created the “Hip-Dok Club,” an online community of readers. All 10,000 registration spots were filled within just two hours. We built a structure that runs entirely free of charge in the public interest, open to every good book in the world.

Within that community, we run “Reading Mob”—smaller groups that gather and disperse based on shared interests, whether tackling heavy books together or recommending favorite reads. We also run “Nomad Reading,” which takes reading beyond the library to some of the most attractive spots—Gyeonghuigung Palace and the Hangang River in Seoul, and pine-lined Anmok Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon State (Gangwon-do Province)—where people gather to read together. We’ve paired all this with fun incentives, like earning mileage points to level up and winning bookstore gift cards, redefining reading as one of the coolest things you can do.

Starting in the second half of the year, we’ll be significantly expanding our location-based e-book service. Visitors will be able to read e-books instantly by verifying their location through a QR code, with no login or separate sign-up required. It will also support multiple languages, which we expect will be especially useful for international visitors.

As part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official development assistance (ODA) program, we’re sharing our operational know-how and manuals, and supporting outdoor libraries tailored to local conditions. We recently visited El Salvador to hand over our space design and programming know-how, and the Seoul Outdoor Library model is set to open in a park in San Salvador, El Salvador, in late October. We’re also pursuing projects in places like Banda Aceh, Indonesia, as this model spreads around the world as a leading example of what we call “K-library.”

A library isn’t just a place to store books; it’s a space that changes people’s lives. Through initiatives like the Seoul Outdoor Library, I want to keep leading the way so that libraries can fully realize their true purpose: guiding our society in a better direction.