The cultural impact of digital libraries on reading.

DNO - As reading spaces in schools are expanded with technology in digital libraries, a new reading habit is gradually forming, associated with a modern, flexible experience, while still maintaining the depth of reading, contributing to nurturing a reading culture right from the school environment.

The digital library attracts many students during every break time. Pictured is the digital library at Ly Thuong Kiet Secondary School, Quang Phu Ward. Photo: PHAN VINH

Create interest

Since 2024, the digital library at Ly Thuong Kiet Secondary School (Quang Phu Ward) has been operational and has become a familiar space for students. Here, reading is no longer a compulsory activity but is gradually transforming into a self-motivated need, nurtured through various flexible approaches.

With 17 classes and 705 students, the school has allocated approximately 120m² to build a library that combines a traditional reading space with a digital resource management and exploitation system.

Over 9,000 books are organized scientifically into sections, combined with a management software system, making searching, borrowing, and returning quick and efficient, while also providing students with access to electronic materials.

Le Nguyen Bao Chau, a student in class 8/6, is an active member of the "Book Lovers" Club at Ly Thuong Kiet Secondary School. For Chau, the digital library is not only a place to read books but also a place that helps her change her approach to knowledge.

"Since the digital library was introduced, I've been able to find more materials, including content I never knew about before. Finding books is also faster; I can search by topic and author. When reading on electronic devices, I can save important content to review later, so studying is much more convenient," Chau shared.

Chau's story reflects the shared feelings of many students when introduced to the new library model. Every week, all classes have a reading session at the library, and with afternoon opening hours, students can proactively come and read during their experiential learning time.

On average, the library records over 530 book borrowings and readings each month, a figure that demonstrates the appeal of this space in school life.

Students at Ly Thuong Kiet Secondary School can choose from a diverse range of books on the library's online borrowing and reading system. Photo: PHAN VINH

At the primary school level, the reading movement is equally vibrant. At Tran Quoc Toan Primary School (Tam Ky ward), a digital library, invested in since 2024, covers an area of ​​over 100m², integrates more than 5,000 books, and features a system of 20 tablets for reading e-books, opening up a new approach for young students.

Dang Thuc An, a student in class 5/1 and a member of the school's reading club, shared: "What I like most is reading books on a tablet because it has many pictures and rich content. In the library, I get to sit in comfortable reading corners with air conditioning, so it's easy to concentrate. Every time we finish a book, we discuss it with each other to remember and understand the content more deeply."

[ VIDEO ] - Students share their experiences at the digital library:

Reading in the digital space

To create such reading spaces, the organizational and operational role of the school is considered a key factor, as digital libraries require appropriate organization to maximize their long-term effectiveness.

At Ly Thuong Kiet Secondary School, a digital library was built with an investment of over 3 billion VND, linked to the goal of developing a reading culture within the school. According to Mr. Tran Anh Hai, the school's principal, the library is organized in a way that is both modern and accessible to students.

"In addition to investing in facilities, the school has scheduled reading time in the timetable, developed monthly and themed library activity plans, and established a 'Book Lovers' Club to create a dedicated environment for students with similar interests," Mr. Hai said.

In addition, library management has been reformed to incorporate technology, enabling more efficient book control, reducing borrowing and return times, and facilitating students' access to online learning platforms.

The role of librarians has changed significantly; in addition to managing books, they also participate in guiding students to access digital resources, organizing book promotion activities, and spreading a reading culture throughout the school.

Thanks to electronic devices, students can effectively utilize digital resources. Photo: PHAN VINH

At Tran Quoc Toan Primary School, the digital library model is being implemented to foster early reading habits among students. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuc Xuan, the school's principal, the library is integrated with many specific activities to make reading an integral part of school life.

Ms. Xuan said: "The school has established a reading club with about 30 members. Students are directly involved in organizing library activities and introducing books on monthly themes. In addition, each class has its own reading time in the timetable; during recess, the library is also arranged appropriately so that each class can take turns using it, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to access it."

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"The school hopes to have more resources to expand the library space, and at the same time connect with publishers and book sponsors to add new materials, meeting the increasingly diverse reading needs of students."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuc Xuan, Principal of Tran Quoc Toan Primary School

Notably, the creation of reading corners in classrooms, combined with the book exchange movement based on the principle of "one person's old book is another person's new book," contributes to expanding the reading space beyond the library, making reading more accessible to students.

However, schools also believe that further expansion of space and resources is needed to make digital libraries more effective. Students' reading needs are increasing, while library space remains limited, only able to serve a certain number of students at a time.

[VIDEO] - Schools share about the effectiveness of digital libraries:

Source: https://baodanang.vn/hieu-ung-van-hoa-doc-tu-nhung-thu-vien-so-3332435.html