Unique commune with 2 libraries

Unique commune with 2 libraries

Phung Ba Hung has just finished 2 years of master's studies under the Fulbright full master's scholarship program of the US Government and returned to Vietnam. Hung is also the "librarian" who brought the "village library" model to the world .

From October 1, people and children in Me Tao village - the area outside the dike of Duong Hoa commune, Hanoi (Duong Lieu commune, old Hoai Duc district) will have a spacious, modern space to read books and participate in many interesting experiential activities. That is Duong Lieu Library - EnjoHub (2nd facility). This is the second meaningful gift that Mr. Phung Ba Hung (born in 1990) gave to his hometown people after 2 years of studying abroad in the US.

Duong Lieu Library - EnjoHub (facility 2) has a spacious, modern reading space for people and children.

The opening ceremony of Duong Lieu Library - EnjoHub (facility 2) held on September 28 was attended by representatives of local authorities, organizations and many people inside and outside the commune.

Participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Library, Ms. Vu Duong Thuy Nga - former Director of the Library Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shared: "Duong Lieu Private Library is a leading bright spot in the country, with many individuals, organizations and localities learning from its model. And Phung Ba Hung is an example of love of learning, love of reading and constantly striving to make useful contributions to the community. Duong Lieu Library is truly a common home for book lovers, a place to preserve and spread the good cultural values ​​of the homeland".

Phung Ba Hung loved reading books since he was a child. When he grew up, Hung studied Journalism and Communication at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. In 2013, after graduating and working in communications for several organizations in Vietnam, Hung always wanted to have a place to store books for children in the village to read. Luckily, a brother in the commune had dedicated his family's living room to make a reading room. Hung participated in operating the reading room. As more and more books appeared, Duong Lieu Private Library was established simply like that.

In the early stages, there were times when, during the day, librarian Hung worked diligently to import books and make cards at night. Hung always had many questions in his mind: How to get a source of books? How to attract children to the library for a long time? Hung painstakingly created many interesting activities to "lure" the children to come. At first, sometimes they just came to play. Then they gradually "transformed", making them addicted to books without realizing it. Most of the children in Duong Lieu at that time are now crazy about the library. Then children from neighboring communes also came to register to read books.

It is his perseverance, dedication and professional working style that has helped Hung operate the library effectively. Duong Lieu Library is becoming more and more well-known, organizing activities on a scale beyond the reading room such as talks, exchanges with famous people and experts; making traditional toys, environmental protection activities, etc. without charging any fees from children and people participating.

In 2019, Hung decided to establish Local Bookable and the Local Library Network in Vietnam with the goal of connecting and providing professional support and operational experience to private library groups and community libraries across the country. Also this year, Hung brought the commune-level library model to the US to introduce under an Embassy program. Unexpectedly, the small, simple library model in the countryside on the outskirts of Hanoi attracted much attention from international friends.

In September 2023, Hung successfully won a full Fulbright Master's scholarship from the US Government, majoring in library information services. Although studying far from home, Hung still has a team of nearly 100 volunteers to run the library for him. And since then, he has cherished the dream of opening a second reading space for children. To date, that wish has come true.

Sharing with CAND Newspaper reporter, he said: “The new library is only more than 1 kilometer away from the old library, but it is a meaningful space for people and children in the coastal areas of the Day River. From now on, people and children will not have to struggle to cross the dike to the village library to read books, especially in the evening or on rainy days. I want all children to be able to read books, the library must be in a location that is most accessible to people. To make reading books easy and become a habit like eating and drinking water every day. That is what I realized during my days studying in the US”.

The second library was established on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the journey of spreading knowledge of Duong Lieu Library. This is also the place that witnessed the change of many young people, from the days of passionate reading in the library to going to university, then studying abroad. Not only Hung, but before that, there were students who won scholarships to study abroad in Japan and China. What could be more wonderful than when many students come back to accompany and support the library's activities for a longer and more meaningful time.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Chuyen-dong-van-hoa/doc-dao-mot-xa-co-2-thu-vien-i782990/