Abstract

This study examines the policies currently announced in the “3rd Comprehensive Library Development Plan” in relation to the discovery of individuals’ potential in libraries and analyzes the current status of the tasks promoted and executed by central administrative agencies and municipal and provincial libraries based on these policies. Based on the analysis results, this study presents the methods for libraries to play their role in discovering the potential of individuals in the future. According to the results of this study, due to the poor performance of libraries resulting from reduced in-person events because of library closures and the promotion of non-contact services such as humanities classes and cultural programs in response to COVID-19, it is necessary to establish systems to support emergency management and non-contact programs in response to COVID-19, as well as increase the budget for extending reading culture projects for underprivileged regions and people. In addition, it is necessary to discover quality long-term, non-contact programs, provide infrastructure for non-contact program operation, and develop guidelines. Second, it is observed that communication- and discussion-type social reading programs need to be promptly converted into and operated as online classes. Third, the study results confirm that it is necessary to prepare measures to reinforce external cooperation, such as improving the convenience of and accessibility to information use for users, conducting seminars between domestic and foreign councils, promoting one-stop data sharing systems, executing data digitalization, expanding library infrastructure in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era, and promoting public relations activities.