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Libraries Close to Home, Reading in Everyday Life: Expansion of Busan’s Public Library Infrastructure Delivers Results

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Busan Library announced that its analysis of public library usage statistics in Busan for the first half of 2026 showed that the continued expansion of neighborhood-based public library infrastructure has significantly increased library use and promoted a stronger reading culture among residents.

In the first half of 2026, the number of public libraries in Busan reached 58, an increase of five from 53 during the same period last year.

Library membership also reached 781,082, up 12.7% from 692,922 during the same period last year. The number of borrowers rose 1.7% to 1,219,400, while the number of items borrowed increased 2.1% to 4,162,149.

This growth is attributed to the successive opening of new public libraries from the second half of last year through the first half of this year, creating an environment in which residents can access books and a wide range of information closer to home.

Yeonje Comics Library, Deokcheon Library, and Ami Dream Library opened in the second half of last year, followed by Ilgwang Library and Ilgwang Children’s Library in the first half of this year, bringing the total number of public libraries in Busan to 58.

The expansion of community-based public libraries is broadening opportunities for residents to read in their daily lives and providing a solid foundation for the spread of a reading culture throughout local communities.

Clear changes in how residents access reading materials and information were also seen through the Busan Metropolitan City Digital Library.

Use of electronic magazines and newspapers reached 444,848 in the first half of this year, surging 62.9% from 273,080 during the same period last year.

Electronic book use also remained strong at 128,943, indicating that residents are increasingly combining printed books with a diverse range of digital content, including electronic books, magazines, and newspapers.

Busan Library cited the expansion of public libraries and the resulting broadening of the reading base as major achievements of the first half of this year. It also noted that a hybrid reading culture, in which printed books and digital resources are used in an integrated manner, is becoming firmly established amid changes driven by artificial intelligence and the digital environment.

This demonstrates that residents are actively selecting and using different media according to their reading purposes and lifestyles in response to changes in the information environment.

Park Eun-a, Director of Busan Library, said, “Although advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology are rapidly transforming the information environment, Busan residents’ enthusiasm for reading has not diminished. Instead, it is expanding into reading activities that make use of a wider variety of media.”

She added, “Busan Library will continue working with local public libraries to build an even more comprehensive foundation for reading in everyday life. We will also strengthen the operation of the Busan Metropolitan City Digital Library to create an environment in which all residents can conveniently access both printed books and digital content.”