A Study on Resolving Library Service Deserts in Daegu Using Grid-Based Spatial Analysis

This study aims to resolve library service blind spots in Daegu Metropolitan City by identifying candidate sites for unmanned book reservation and return machines through grid-based spatial analysis. Public libraries are essential facilities, but their supply is insufficient and unmanned systems offer a practical way to extend coverage. Previous studies have relied on macro-level analyses of administrative districts, which do not adequately capture micro-scale determinants. To address this limitation, this research applies a micro-level approach that divides service-deficient areas into grid cells and integrates variables such as residential population, floating population, and accessibility into each cell. Principal Component Analysis was used to summarize dominant patterns of existing service areas, showing a first component related to residential population and a second component linked to floating population and accessibility. Based on these results, K-means clustering classified service-deficient grids into four groups, and the cluster with high resident population, floating population, and public facility accessibility was identified as the top candidate site. By comparing PCA profiles of existing libraries with those of service-deficient grids, the analysis identified candidate locations reflecting new town development. This grid-based methodology complements conventional administrative-unit analyses and provides a practical tool to address service inequality in urban areas.