"Shall We Visit the Book Festival This Weekend?"... Reading Festival at Jeongdok Public Library on Nov. 7

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to Hold 14th All-Family Book Festival
Book-sharing market, exhibitions and hands-on activity booths to be featured

A reading festival will be held on November 7 in the outdoor Book Garden at Jeongdok Public Library in Seoul.

On November 5, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it would hold the 14th All-Family Book Festival for students, parents and Seoul residents.

Launched in 2013, the event is the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's signature reading culture festival, held every autumn to encourage family reading and spread a reading culture throughout local communities.

This year's festival, under the slogan "Families, Let's Set Off Toward a Reading Seoul!", is designed to let the joy of reading experienced at the event spread into family life and local communities, bringing Seoul one step closer to becoming a city of readers.

Twenty-three libraries and lifelong learning centers operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will take part, along with school reading clubs and local bookstores, presenting a diverse range of reading culture programs.

The festival grounds will be divided into seven zones: the Plaza of Honor, the Quirky Library, the Imagination Workshop, the Book Sharing Market and the Jumble Playground, among others. Across the venue, visitors of all ages can enjoy a variety of programs, including making bookmarks, key rings and upcycling parts; trying out e-books; book curation exhibits; block play; and stepping into the role of a storybook character. Outdoor spaces for reading and relaxation will also be available.

In particular, at the Book Sharing Market, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's libraries and lifelong learning centers will share usable books from among their withdrawn and discarded collections with the public. In addition, about 2,000 books will be distributed from the 12,081 books across 87 titles donated through a partnership with Good Neighbors' Seoul Northern Regional Headquarters to distribute sponsored goods. The initiative aims to promote the values of sharing and resource circulation, while highlighting the value of cooperation that brings private organizations' book donations into public libraries' reading culture programs.

At 3 p.m., the Seoul superintendent of education will present certificates to 100 families selected as exemplary reading families under the "Families Who Read Together" program. Families who made it to the final three in the "Book Wave Reading Golden Bell" will also take part in the ceremony, adding to its significance. Earlier, at 2:40 p.m., the Wonchon Middle School Orchestra will perform, further enlivening the festival.

Eom Donghwan, director of Jeongdok Public Library, said, "I hope this event, where hands-on activities, exhibitions, play and sharing come together, gives students, families and all members of the public a chance to fully enjoy the pleasure of reading."

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