Today's Close-Up S2025E49 - More Than Books: Libraries as Community Hubs

So-called "lively libraries" that promote new concepts, such as allowing people to chat, eat and drink are gaining popularity, resulting in a sharp increase in users in an era of declining population. Some facilities use books and magazines to promote intergenerational exchanges and resolve local issues. In addition, some local governments have focused on their libraries' ability to attract users by allowing people to use them for free as a key part of urban development. We visit a library in Gifu that has seen its visitor numbers increase tenfold. What is the potential for public spaces to evolve into places for everyone?

Guests: 
Yoshinari Nobuo (Former General Producer, Minna no Mori Gifu Media Cosmos)
Itoga Masaru (Professor Emeritus, Keio University)