Sejong City leads in library book borrowing; national trends show decline

Residents of Sejong City are leading the nation in library book borrowing, checking out an average of 29.8 books per 100 people in the first half of this year. This figure significantly surpasses the national average of 11.42 books per 100 people across 1,600 libraries.

However, the broader picture for library usage in South Korea shows a concerning trend. When excluding children's and learning materials, the number of books borrowed by adults and teenagers per 100 people has fallen to just over one book per month. This decline is notable, as it fails to reach the borrowing rates seen in 2023 and 2024, despite a slight increase from the pandemic-stricken years of 2021 and 2022.

The analysis, conducted by Hankyoreh using big data from the National Library of Korea's "Library Information 9" service from 2021 to 2026, highlights significant regional differences. While Sejong City leads, cities like Daegu and Incheon show the lowest borrowing rates. The data suggests that factors such as the proportion of participating libraries in data collection and the demographic makeup of the population, including age and rural-urban distribution, play a role in these disparities.

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Public officials, researchers, and a high rate of usage by those in their 40s and children make it a young city.