VOL.69/2024.04

 

[Korean Libraries with Themes ④]

Banyawol Station Building Small Library and
Dongchon Station Building Small Library

A Unique Library Alongside Choo-Choo Railways

 

2022.09.05

 

“Railways” and “trains” are two words that excite and thrill some of us. One cannot talk about the many geeks around the world without mentioning railway geeks. This article introduces Banyawol Station Building Small Library and Dongchon Station Building Small Library located in the Daegu Metropolitan City of Korea to the railway geeks who visit extraordinary railways and trains wherever they are. In fact, the two libraries used to serve as stations, but were later renovated into libraries, attracting a number of visitors. Embodying a stream of Korea’s modern history, the “Small Libraries”* have been designated as the No. 270 and No. 303 Modern Cultural Heritage sites of Korea, and they are also popular among citizens. Let us take you on a book trip to recall your childhood memories about trains and fulfill your current fantasy about them.

* Small libraries are smaller than general public libraries and are available nationwide to provide local residents with easier access to knowledge, information, books, and cultural services.

 

 

Nostalgic stations converted into libraries

 

The renovation from stations to libraries dates back to 2004 when Daegu Railway Line was closed. The stations, which used to supply coals, have turned into essential libraries that provide knowledge, information, and cultural services to local residents. The libraries use the old station building, helping visitors take a trip down memory lane. Further, as small libraries are established to improve accessibility for local residents, the libraries have a park in front of the building for the public to drop by and rest. Visitors can enter the parks without limit during the opening hours.
A white-colored building featuring a green roof, located in a quiet neighborhood. The two libraries look almost alike both in and outside the building. After enjoying the nostalgic appearance that triggers old and happy memories, visitors are met with the libraries’ mezzanine structure the moment they enter the building. Inside the libraries is the Railway Artifact Exhibition which displays remnants of the old stations. Although each library exhibits different artifacts, visitors find the items related to trains and railways intriguing, which were actually used in the past. Signal controllers, railway signs, and photos in the exhibition bring back old, forgotten, and precious memories for adults while offering a great chance for children to see with their bare eyes something that they only read about in history books.

 

 

Small but useful libraries offering curation and many other programs

 

Despite the small size, Banyawol and Dongchon libraries store as many as 11,605 and 6,592 books, respectively, faithfully fulfilling their role as libraries. Their shelves are filled with picture books for children alongside books for adults across extensive genres. Moreover, the institutions offer their own programs and other programs in partnership with general public libraries as well.
Banyawol Library’s spatial design mainly focuses on children. On the first floor, there is a robot-shaped book rental machine attracting children, as well as the Reading Room in which they can read and talk together. In addition, the whole second floor is named the Dreaming Attic and is designed exclusively for children. This low and cozy attic offers a hiding place for children where they can indulge in reading and drawing. Banyawol Library also runs a tour program for children aged between five and seven. The program provides guidelines on how to use the library. Children who participate can make a moneybox out of books, read picture books with librarians and engage in many other activities.
Dongchon Library features a railway and rest area in front of it and operates Bookstore Next to Dongchon Railway, an unmanned bookstore in a small booth. The bookstore, which is closed temporarily due to COVID-19, holds significance as it is filled with books donated by local residents. In addition, the library offers a program called Learning Feelings through Art until September on the Culture Day of each month. The monthly program invites renowned artists, including writer Oh Hyun-Kyung, composer Lee Jong-Il and actress Jeon So-Hyun, to help children better pick up the feelings of self-respect, joy, sorrow, and others through art activities. Moreover, the library hosts an independent book curation program. In line with the monthly theme of Climate Change for July and August, the program categorized a part of the bookshelves into three key words (#Climate Change, #Environmental Issues, and #Carbon Neutrality) and displayed a range of books accordingly, which grabbed the attention of visitors.

 

 

 

Daegu, a city that well conserves modern Korean history, is home to a variety of places displaying Korea’s modern culture, including modern history museums and literature museums. The two stations that have been closed gave birth to Banyawol Station Building Small Library and Dongchon Station Building Small Library, cultural institutions which keep historical records. The two libraries (filled with touching memories from the past, joy, and warmth from the train stations, regular cultural events, and bookshelves full of books) are becoming a part of our everyday lives as a thematic library without losing their significance as cultural heritage.

 

Banyawol Station Building Small Library & Dongchon Station Building Small Library
Website: library.daegu.go.kr/donggu/html.do?menu_idx=51
Contact: +82-53-662-4110 / +82-70-4214-6859
Address: 50 Sinseo-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City / 35 Dongchon Station-ro 3-gil, Dong-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City

 

 

 

 

 

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Written by Choi Ha-Yeong