もっと図書館を

もっと図書館を

Seoul City plans to build 500 more libraries by 2030 - ソウル市のパク・ウォンスン（박원순、朴元淳）市長が2030年までに500の図書館を作ることを発表しました。

ソウル市には、すでに868の図書館があり、それを1,372にするというものです。限られた数の大きな図書館を作るのではなく、小さな図書館をたくさん作るということですね。

だれもが歩いて10分以内に図書館があるようにするのが目標。今は人口9万人に1図書館ですが、これをOECD平均の5万人に1図書館に近づけます（この部分、計算が合わないような気もしますが）。気軽に図書館に立ち寄れて、本を通じて一生学び続けられるようにという願いが込められています。

韓国に比べ、私たちの国は最近あまり元気がありません。こういう話を聞くと、力の入れどころも違うような気がしてきます。本気で心配です。

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Seoul City plans to build 500 more libraries by 2030

By Kim Bo-eun Seoul City plans to build some 500 more libraries by 2030 to enable greater access to books and encourage more citizens to read. The city announced plans Monday to increase the current number of 868 libraries to 1,372. The announcement came ahead of the opening of the “Seoul Library” in October. The objectives of the plan include putting all citizens within a 10 minute walking distance of a library; encouraging them to read more than 20 books a year; owning more than two books; making libraries centers of community; and improving the overall quality of existing libraries.  Currently Seoul has a ratio of 90,000 residents to one library, while the standard for OECD countries is 50,000 to one. “When it comes to reading books, having the willingness to read is important but having an environment which facilitates reading is also crucial” said Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. The city’s plan is to build many small libraries across the city that residents can conveniently visit, rather than establishing just a few large scale ones. The “Seoul Library” will oversee, support and cooperate with all the libraries across the city. A network between the libraries in the 25 autonomous districts will also be established. The city hopes the libraries will become places of lifelong learning where anyone can read a book whenever they wish to, the mayor said “We are hoping that (through increasing access to books and encouraging more reading) we could heighten the citizens’ competency, much like how Bill Gates said the library in his neighborhood made him who he is.”

bkim@koreatimes.co.kr