A rest stop along South Korea’s Gyeongbu Expressway is gaining attention not for its food courts or fueling stations, but for books.
The Chilgok Service Area in North Gyeongsang Province now features a small library for children. It holds more than 3,000 books. Visitors can read on-site or borrow books to take with them. There are no library cards or due dates ? just trust. If readers can’t return a book, they can donate another in its place.
The idea came from the area’s residents. They donated, cleaned, and sorted books to fill the shelves. Volunteers regularly stop by to check on the library and add new titles.
The response from families has been strong. “My child always cried in the car, but the tears stopped when we reached this rest stop,” one parent said.
Encouraged by positive feedback, the Korea Expressway Corporation plans to expand the initiative to nearby rest areas.
Creative library projects are growing across the region. In Daegu, there’s even a library combined with a swimming pool. A local hospital has opened a “smart library,” showing how reading is becoming part of everyday life in new ways.