Explore Busan: Libraries as Urban Sanctuaries - IFLA

In this article, we explore Busan’s libraries as urban sanctuaries inspired by the city’s most distinctive features, offering spaces that locals and WLIC visitors can enjoy this August.

Coastal Libraries: Where Learning Meets the Horizon

For WLIC 2026 participants, Busan offers a distinctive library experience shaped by its identity as a maritime city. Rather than being limited to traditional indoor spaces, these coastal libraries open onto landscapes where mountains meet the sea.

The Seogu Ami Dream Library, which opened in late 2025, offers sweeping views of Busan Port and the surrounding mountains. Overlooking the sea, these libraries create a calm and inviting environment that encourages focus and creativity.

By combining natural landscapes with architectural features such as open tiered seating, Busan’s libraries bring people closer to their cultural environment while encouraging everyday interaction.

Resource: Busan Seogu

Designed for Community: Libraries as Public Living Rooms

Busan’s libraries reflect a strong commitment to open, inclusive design that responds to the diverse needs of people across the city. The Busan Library serves as the flagship example, acting as a public living room for the community.

The building is defined by a striking four-storey glass façade that fills its expansive central halls with natural light. This sense of openness continues inside, where the spatial design encourages movement and discovery.

The Wisdom Seam, in particular, creates a dramatic vertical space connecting multiple floors and inviting visitors to explore the collections more freely.
Spaces like the Chaekmaru collection create opportunities for social interaction, turning the library into a vibrant cultural hub where people can gather and exchange ideas in a relaxed setting.

Resource: Visit Busan

Reading Together: Beyond the Library Walls

Beyond their architecture, Busan’s libraries actively bring people together through reading and community initiatives. One such initiative is the One Book One Busan campaign, launched in 2004, which encourages citizens to read and discuss a single book selected by popular vote—bringing the city together in the process.

This sense of community participation continues through local events such as the Busan Reading Culture Festival, bringing literature into everyday life across the city. Initiatives such as the Busan Sea Library further reflect Busan’s maritime character, creating distinctive reading spaces that blend the city’s coastal identity with its cultural aspirations.

These initiatives present libraries as spaces for lifelong learning and civic engagement through active community participation, offering practical insights for WLIC 2026 participants.

Resource: Busan Library Portal