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Busan Library Concludes the 2026 “Happy Book Sharing” Campaign with Strong Public Participation

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Busan Library announced that its flagship initiative, the 2026 Happy Book Sharing campaign, designed to revitalize local bookstores and promote the circulation of reading resources, concluded successfully with overwhelming public participation. A total of 13,418 books were exchanged at 44 local bookstores throughout Busan.

The Happy Book Sharing program encourages citizens to bring books they have finished reading to participating bookstores, where they receive bookstore vouchers worth 50 percent of the books' value. The vouchers can then be used to purchase new books at the same local bookstores.

This year's program was launched simultaneously at 44 participating bookstores across Busan on June 5. Owing to strong public participation, the allocated budget was exhausted early, and the program concluded after just over one month. During the campaign, a total of 13,418 books were exchanged, contributing to increased sales at local bookstores and stimulating local consumer spending.

In particular, by encouraging citizens to exchange used books and purchase new ones from local bookstores, the initiative has established itself as Busan Library's signature reading promotion program, simultaneously expanding reading culture, revitalizing the local economy, and promoting resource circulation.

The program has also become an exemplary model of public-private collaboration through the continued support of Sejung Group, a corporate partner.

Since 2024, Sejung Group has participated as the corporate partner for the Happy Book Sharing campaign, donating books worth KRW 30 million annually. The company's social contribution has created a virtuous cycle in which corporate support translates into tangible book sales for local bookstores while providing citizens with greater opportunities to enjoy reading, actively putting ESG values into practice.

Furthermore, by establishing a collaborative partnership involving the library, local bookstores, citizens, and a locally based company, the initiative has made a significant contribution to building a sustainable reading culture ecosystem that grows together with the local community.

All books exchanged by citizens will be purchased by Busan Library and Sejung Group and donated to small libraries, welfare institutions, and outdoor libraries that are part of citizens' daily lives, including the Busan Sea Library and Lawn Library.

Through this initiative, books that have already been read will find new readers and continue to be used, creating a sustainable resource circulation system. The program is also expected to promote a broader reading culture through book sharing while fostering a stronger culture of giving within the local community.

Park Eun-a, Director of Busan Library, said, “This year's Happy Book Sharing campaign achieved remarkable results, with more than 13,000 books exchanged in just over one month thanks to the enthusiastic participation and support of our citizens. We will continue to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with local bookstores, expand the values of sharing and giving, and work to ensure that a citizen-centered reading culture takes even deeper root throughout our community.”