Spreading reading culture needs parallel voices from schools and families

No matter how much the world of technology develops, it still cannot replace the fragrant, ink-colored pages of a book. Books still have a very special place in the hearts of those who are passionate about knowledge.

Students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities responded to the Program to promote reading culture. Photo: Minh Duc – VNA

April 21 every year is Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day. At Hanoi Book Street, the Vietnam Publishing Association held a Movement Launching Ceremony reading books in the community. This is one of many activities in response to Book Day and reading culture nationwide, to raise awareness about the importance of reading for knowledge improvement, thinking development and personality training. People.

Visiting Hanoi Book Street often, many families like Yen choose this method so that their children can be closer to books and further away from technology devices.

Statistics from the Publication Department show that, even though the number published book Every year, the number of books that Vietnamese people read on average is only approximately 1 book. Each year, a Vietnamese person only spends about 40,000 VND to buy books, a very low figure compared to other countries in the region.

Launching the reading movement is not just an effort on the part of publishers, it needs a parallel voice from schools and in every family.

After 8 years of organization, Vietnam Book Day has become a cultural event that is well received in many localities. There are more than 60 book fairs held every year across the country. Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City – the bright spot of cultural studies attracts 12 million visitors, earning 200 billion VND in revenue after 5 years of operation.

Nguyen Van Binh Book Street, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: FB Street Book

Activities of Book Day and reading culture unite authors – book makers – works – readers. Books – a special commodity that has its own spaces, where readers’ knowledge is brought to fruition.

Each young man has a book as a friend

In the midst of many entertainment means today, choosing to read books is sometimes a challenge for young people. Therefore, nurturing a love of reading with young people takes a lot of effort. Initiatives to attract more book-loving young people are also regularly organized. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union today organized the program “Each young person has a book to make friends” and launched the program to promote reading culture, with the theme “Walk of knowledge”.

The program organizes promotional activities love to read books in youth such as building infographics, short films about the effects of reading books; select and introduce interesting and meaningful publications suitable for each group of members and young people; facilitate the provision of books to members and young people; guide and support members and young people to access appropriate book sources; organize an online contest “Books that change lives” for readers to share about good, meaningful books that change their perception and life.

2 years of the epidemic has made the speed of digital transformation faster and publishing is not an exception to this trend. But more importantly, book makers have focused on expanding topics, genres and many solutions to improve book quality.

Thanks to the expansion of cooperation with major international publishers, more and more best-selling books are licensed and released early. It can be said that the Vietnamese publishing industry is making rapid progress in integrating into the world publishing industry.

Some books were copyrighted by Alpha books in a record short time, only about 2 weeks, even during the peak months of the COVID-19 epidemic at the end of 2021. Even, in October 2022, the book ” Human Journey” has just been published, but the copyright purchase is now complete, meaning the book will simultaneously launch in Vietnam along with all international markets. While in the past, the publishing delay in Vietnam was about 6 months to 1 year.

At a book-making unit, investment in technology to develop audiobooks and e-books has begun to show its sweet fruit. Despite the pandemic, readership has increased by an average of 20%-30% per year over the past 3 years. Currently, only counting the 3 largest audiobook units, which are Voiz FM, Fonos and Waka, the number of readers reached has reached about 25 million times, increasing dozens of times after only 1 year.

Digital transformation is an inevitable path, especially in the context of unpredictable epidemics. According to the Department of Publication, Printing and Distribution, in 2022, at least 25% of publishers will participate in electronic publishing by all means. The thing that needs to be improved the most right now is the promotion of propaganda, creating an ecosystem to support publishers.

There have been many books released with hundreds of thousands of copies – a reward for book-making units that know the market and readers’ needs. Meanwhile, compared with a few years ago, the cases of violation of publication content have decreased significantly. Vietnam’s publishing market is gradually moving towards the healthy and professional.

Initiative to spread reading culture

Efforts to innovate and adapt to the new situation of the publishing industry are remarkable. But in order for books to have their own place in the hearts of readers in the digital storm, the form of bringing books to readers needs to be more flexible and lively. Cooking a delicious dish is not enough, but you also have to know how to promote your restaurant. Book promotion too, many countries have been very creative in how to bring books closer to the public.

In Indonesia, a unique initiative is underway to promote reading culture. The tricycle is a mobile library for children on the Indonesian island of Java, where traditional libraries are difficult for children to access.

The founder of the “waste library” Raden Roro Hendarti, 48, arranges books on a tricycle to deliver to the children in the village. Photo: Reuters

A special feature of this initiative is that readers can borrow books by exchanging waste. With just one discarded plastic bottle, people can access a collection of about 6,000 books and borrow as many as they want.

With this initiative, every week, librarian Raden Hendarti collects about 100kg of waste. This garbage will then be sorted for recycling, the proceeds will be used to buy additional books for the library.

In Singapore, the national reading movement was launched by the National Library Board, to urge Singaporeans to “read more, read widely and read together”.

Key program priorities are reaching adults and seniors, promoting mother tongue reading, and encouraging community through collaborative activities. All aim to build a vibrant reading culture in Singapore.

Japan is the country with the highest reading rate in the world. The National Assembly of Japan has passed two sets of laws, including “Law to encourage children’s reading activities” in 2001 and “Law on revitalizing reading culture” in 2005. In Japan, school libraries are always focused on right away. since childhood. Preschoolers have heard “reading”, in elementary school there is also a “reading” period like any other subject. Practical educational activities that encourage creative inquiry have promoted students’ reading activities.

If only waiting for Book Day with activities to encourage reading will be organized to encourage more people to read, the effect will certainly not be high, because reading is a habit that needs to be cultivated every day. Hopefully, when each family trains children in the habit of reading books right in the first years of life, we will continue to have generations of people who love knowledge and appreciate the value of books gradually.

* Invite readers to watch programs broadcast by Vietnam Television on TV Online and VTVGo!