Local bookstore at heart of cultural growth

[Anchor]

Local bookstores that are facing a crisis due to the competition from large bookstores and online retailers are joining hands with local governments to make various efforts for mutual growth.

Through this, local bookstores are becoming central spaces where unique regional cultures can thrive.

Reporter Yoon Na-kyung has the story.

[Report]

A small neighborhood bookstore located in a narrow alley.

Books with dates written on them are displayed on the shelves, providing a unique fun of being able to purchase books by authors who share the same birthday.

Initially, it was not easy to operate due to the competition from online and large bookstores, but the 'Neighborhood Bookstore Mutual Growth Project' initiated by the local government became the driving force for survival.

Through the 'Hope Book Direct Loan Service', citizens can borrow books from local bookstores just like at a library, resulting in over 4,000 citizens visiting the neighborhood bookstore each year.

[Lee Han-byeol/Owner of 'Heart to Read' bookstore: "There are many cases where people do not come to the bookstore. They come to the bookstore to use the loan service, and they become interested in the fact that there is such a bookstore in our neighborhood and tend to revisit."]

Customers who were used to borrowing books have now become regulars who purchase books after visiting the bookstore multiple times.

[Cha Ah-young/Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province: "I didn't know there was such a small bookstore, but I found out because of the (book loan) service, and I think the advantage of a local bookstore is that you can come and see the book, and buy it directly."]

The neighborhood bookstore has become a place where people come and go.

It is establishing itself as a place for growth of local culture by directly planning and promoting events like music festivals that reflect the local characteristics, together with the people of the neighborhood.

[Park Seung-won/Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province: "Through the space of a bookstore, the culture and life of the region form a community together. Revitalizing these local bookstores is an important policy for leading the local community."]

To promote mutual growth with local bookstores, Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province recently commissioned a study on 'Measures to Revitalize Neighborhood Bookstores' to the Gyeonggi Research Institute, and plans to expand related policies based on the research results.

KBS News, Yoon Na-kyung.