Library Book Supply to Expand Local Bookstore Participation... Private Contract Exceptions to Be Introduced

Culture and Interior Ministries Distribute Guidelines to Promote Local Bookstore Purchases

Amendment to Local Contracts Act Expands Opportunities for Local Bookstores and Cooperatives to Supply Books

The government will expand the use of local bookstores and local bookstore cooperatives in the process of purchasing books for public and school libraries. This measure aims to improve the business environment for local bookstores and to revitalize the local reading culture ecosystem.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young is posing with local bookstore representatives after an on-site meeting to revitalize local bookstores at Cheonghak Bookstore Sammun Branch in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do on May 14. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on July 1 that they will distribute the "Guidelines for Promoting Local Bookstore Purchases" to local governments and education offices, encouraging public and school libraries to actively use local bookstores and local bookstore cooperatives when purchasing books.

The government sees that a decline in the reading population and changes in the purchasing environment favoring online and large-scale distribution are worsening the business environment for local bookstores. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "2024 Survey on the Status of Local Bookstores," the proportion of bookstores with annual sales of less than 100 million won increased from 42.9% in 2021 to 49.5% in 2024.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will revise the enforcement decree of the Local Contracts Act to expand opportunities for local bookstores to participate in public library book purchases. Once the amendment comes into effect, local governments will be able to enter into private contracts with local bookstores or local bookstore cooperatives for book purchases without any monetary limit.

Local contract regulations will also be revised. Book purchase contracts will exceptionally allow for split orders, and additional points will be granted to local bookstores and local bookstore cooperatives in the credibility evaluation item for qualification screening in competitive bidding processes.

The private contract exception and bidding incentives will apply to local bookstores or local bookstore cooperatives recognized by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will verify eligibility through the Korea Publishing and Culture Industry Promotion Agency and notify local governments of the results. An explanatory session for local governments and the bookstore industry will be held in early July, and applications for eligibility verification will be accepted from July 15.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also asks local governments and education offices to utilize the revised contract system and to establish and actively implement ordinances prioritizing purchases from local bookstores. It recommends separating book purchases and MARC services when placing orders, and allocating related costs so that actual MARC work costs are settled. MARC services refer to information registration and label printing and attachment for library materials management.

The Ministry of Education plans to guide provincial education offices and schools so that the relevant measures can be smoothly implemented in school libraries and similar settings. The government will conduct a survey on the status of local bookstores this year to inform policy, and will also pursue amendments to the Publishing and Culture Industry Promotion Act to introduce a certification system for local bookstores and cooperatives.

Starting in 2027, whether public libraries cooperate with local bookstores will be included as a criterion in the "Community Cooperation and Networking Activities" indicator of the public library operation evaluation. One additional point will be awarded for this criterion.

Kim Jaehyun, Director-General for Cultural Media Industry at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "Using local bookstores and cooperatives when purchasing books for public and school libraries will not only promote coexistence between local bookstores and libraries, but also help spread the local reading culture." He added, "We will work with relevant ministries to further improve systems and expand support so that local bookstores—community hubs with diverse local identities—can thrive."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.