Jeongseon-gun announced Tuesday that Sabuk Public Library has been named first among 15 libraries in Group A in the 2026 Public Library Operations Evaluation conducted by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, earning a commendation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
It is somewhat unusual for a county-level library to receive the highest marks in Group A, a tier that typically includes public libraries from larger, more established cities.
The library has built a reputation as a community cultural hub by implementing user-centered operational practices and expanding its role to encompass lifelong learning, cultural welfare and the promotion of local culture.
The library improved its book cafe environment based on user feedback and activated a venue-rental service so that local residents and organizations can use the space freely, creating an open cultural space accessible to all.
It also runs year-round reading and cultural programs tailored to different life stages — including a cultural school, adult literacy education, author lecture series and regional revitalization exchange projects — strengthening the foundation for lifelong learning in the community.
The library consistently operates specialized services to preserve and promote local history and culture. Historical materials — including photographs of the Dongwon Coal Mine and miners — have been digitized and made available online, with most pages on the library's local history archive drawing more than 6,000 views.
A user satisfaction survey showed strong positive responses across key categories: 88 percent rated the facility convenient to use, 81 percent praised staff courtesy, and 85 percent expressed satisfaction with the availability of new books — results the county said objectively demonstrate the success of its user-centered approach.
Building on this recognition, the county plans to further strengthen reading culture promotion and lifelong learning programs while expanding the library's role in documenting and preserving local history and culture, developing it into a community hub that connects culture and education with residents' daily lives.
The evaluation assessed public libraries across Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province by dividing them into Groups A, B and C based on operational conditions such as facility size, collection, budget and staffing, then comprehensively rating each on operational performance, user services and reading culture promotion.
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