Gyeonggi Holds Field Meeting to Explore the Roles of Libraries and Librarians in the AI Era

[Financial News] Officials from public, university, school and specialized libraries are gathering to discuss the roles of libraries and librarians in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. They will share operational cases from different types of libraries and explore ways to cooperate with the education and research sectors.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) on the 30th, the 'First 2026 Library Field Communication Meeting' will be held at 2 p.m. that day at Gyeonggi Library in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province.
The event was organized by MCST and the 9th National Library Committee. It is the first field meeting since the committee was launched in July. About 120 library officials from Gyeonggi Province, along with representatives from major organizations including the Korean Library Association, will attend.
Yoon Myung-hee, director of Gyeonggi Library, will introduce plans for cooperation among regional libraries. Lim Shin-ae, director of the Arts Information Center at Seoul Institute of the Arts, will present cases of cooperation among university libraries, local governments, institutions and libraries.
Lee Eun-ju, a teacher-librarian at Bopyeong High School, will present library-based collaborative classes conducted with subject teachers. Nam Eun-kyung, a principal researcher at the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), will share cases of internal communication and external cooperation at specialized libraries.
The use of AI in libraries has already led to changes in work methods. According to the results of the 2025 library policy initiatives released by MCST in April, the National Library of Korea introduced AI and work-process automation technologies, reducing the time required to handle repetitive tasks.
Before the meeting, Kim Ki-young, chair of the National Library Committee, will meet with Choo Mi-ae, governor of Gyeonggi Province, to discuss regional library issues. As of the end of last year, Gyeonggi Province had 328 public libraries, accounting for about 25% of the 1,328 libraries nationwide.
MCST and the committee plan to continue field-based communication across regions, including by holding a second meeting in Seoul on November 18.
A policy official at MCST said participation from those in the field is necessary to define the roles of libraries and librarians, adding, "MCST will support all library professionals in collaborating around the same goal and working together to shape the future of libraries."

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter