Day 1    May 19th

Opened in 2023, Library Peach is a library designed to be accessible and inclusive, featuring easy-to-read contents and a welcoming culture. It is operated by Peach Market, an organization that supports slow learners and values learning at one's own pace. The library creates an environment for people with diverse learning needs, including people with disabilities, while fostering a community for caregivers, educators, and supporters as well.
During the visit, we will explore the space together and hear from the people working to lower barriers and reshape what an accessible library can be.

For My Stories (The Third Time) is a library where children and young people are invited to explore, reflect, and express themselves. Presented as a "third space" beyond home and school, it offers access to diverse forms of content and supports self-directed exploration. Alongside reading, the space invites acts of listening, watching, browsing, drawing, making, and exhibiting - expanding the possibilities of what exploration in a library can look like.
Users are invited to step into the role of librarians, imagining and realizing what kinds of actions, experiences, and explorations a library could hold.

This bright, beautiful children's room is the first output of the "Reimagine Children's Room" project by SeeArt Foundation, which redesigns children's areas in public libraries based on children's lived experiences. Opened in 2024 at Dujeong Library in Cheonan, this space is designed for children aged 8–13 to explore, experiment, and learn through a wide range of materials and experiences. 

As we move through the space as its primary users would - as children - we'll discover how design grounded in user research can expand what a children's library experience can be. 

This walking tour offers a soft opening to our four days in Seoul, as we explore Myeongdong and learn about the stories and layers shaping the spaces where we’ll spend time together. 

Myeongdong has carried many roles over time - from a hub of culture and the arts to a site of civic action and democratic movements. By briefly touching on its past and walking through the neighborhood as it is today, we’ll reflect on how places change, adapt, and reveal different faces across eras.  

Along the way, we’ll visit key spaces connected to Next Library Satellite Seoul, including Community House Masil, YWCA, and Page Myeongdong.  Rather than a guided tour, this is a shared walk to explore the neighborhood and get to know each other along the way.

 Day 2    May 20th

Library tTsome is a library open to all, with special attention and focus on youth. It features shared spaces for all generations and dedicated areas for young people aged 12–19. Since opening in 2021, tTsome has aimed to create an environment where users can explore diverse experiences without set boundaries, draw inspiration from one another, and find the courage to begin something new. To ensure that young people can truly 'own' the space, staff closely observe and listen to their needs and rhythms, bringing these insights into the spatial design, content, and operational principles. At tTsome, we believe a library should be a safe and welcoming space for everyone. Come and join a community that shares this vision.

Second Chance Library is located on the campus of Sepuma, an organization that supports young people in vulnerable situations, helping them regain emotional stability and explore new directions in life. In this library, every user is addressed as an "author" - a deliberate choice of words that reflects the belief that each young person has the power to rewrite their own story. Here, young people curate their own bookshelves and record their personal stories, using books and shared encounters as tools to reconnect with the world, process past experiences, and imagine new possibilities.
Due to its location outside central Gyeonggi Province and its limited public access, this visit offers a rare opportunity to experience a space that is usually closed to external visitors.

Neutinamu Library is a privately funded public library run by dedicated staff who believe libraries can build a better world. Moving beyond the traditional use cases of reading and studying, Neutinamu has continuously explored ways to invite local residents of all ages and backgrounds to connect and learn together. Through initiatives such as the Citizen's Collection and Collection Busking projects, the library has carried out dynamic experiments that cross conventional boundaries of format and space.
This visit guides us on a walk through the library and its surrounding neighborhood - from community gardens to local shops - offering a vivid look at how a library can respond to the evolving hopes and needs of its community over the past 25 years.

Located at the intersection of an urban residential area and nature, Kangdong Forest Library has attracted visitors and interest since its opening last year. Its appeal lies not only in the forest views but also in an innovative approach to designing and operating a public library. By thoughtfully navigating government systems while protecting the spirit of the space, the library challenges the conventional image of a library as a quiet place to study.
During this visit, the library team will share the practices that have made the library a welcoming place to stay, candidly discussing both successes and challenges from the opening process and inviting open discussion about the value of public libraries today.

Launched in 2021, Jigwanseoga is a project that transforms underutilized public spaces into humanities centers dedicated to reflection and contemplation. Each location features a unique life theme that serves as the basis for its thoughtfully curated book collection. It is supported by SK Group as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative.

LEEON Architects has designed ten Jigwanseoga locations across the nation, including sites in Ulsan, Uljin, Suwon, and Pyeongtaek. Jigwanseoga Suwon, renovated from a former school building, is centered on the theme of "happiness." Guided by the architect, participants will tour the space and take part in a conversation reflecting on patterns and changes observed across various library and cultural space projects.