Garden of Knowledge

In recent years, the Lao Cai Provincial Library has not only affirmed its role as a center for preserving knowledge but has also become a familiar and highly educational destination for students of all levels.

With its many creative activities, friendly reading environment, and rich collection of resources, this place has been nurturing a love of reading, cultivating life skills, and contributing to the character development of the younger generation.

According to statistics, since the beginning of the year, the Lao Cai Provincial Library has served over 47,500 readers, of which 70-80% are students from primary to high school. In the last three months alone, more than 1,410 new library cards have been issued, mainly to students.

A highlight of the Provincial Library is its diverse collection of resources, boasting 218,559 books of various types, including Chinese language books, children's books, science and technology books, life skills books, and numerous reference books. By 2025, the Provincial Library plans to add 12,000 new books, of which 6,858 are specifically for children.

The classroom space in the Lao Cai Provincial Library.

Alongside traditional printed books, the Provincial Library also focuses on developing its electronic library. To date, it has digitized 1,375 digital documents, equivalent to 350,750 pages of books. A modern computer system with free internet access allows students to easily research and study on-site, contributing to the development of reading habits in the digital age.

To meet the learning and entertainment needs of students during the summer, the Provincial Library organized many attractive activities such as drawing based on books, introducing good books, guiding information retrieval skills, mobile reading programs, and donating books to students in difficult circumstances...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Head of the User Services Department, said: “During the summer, the number of students coming to the library increases many times compared to normal days, requiring us to be well-prepared. In addition to rotating staff at the book borrowing and returning counters, we also increase personnel to guide students in searching for books and help them choose suitable books. The reading space is also adjusted more flexibly, ensuring a quiet environment for readers while also creating conditions for interactive activities such as storytelling, drawing, and book discussions.”

The library also regularly updates its collection with books popular among students, such as "Vietnamese History in Pictures," comic series like "Detective Conan," "Doraemon," "Tý Quậy," "One Hundred Thousand Questions Why," and works by author Nguyễn Nhật Ánh such as "I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass," "Give Me a Ticket to Childhood," etc.

The children's reading space is designed to be vibrant, using appropriate tables and chairs, brightly colored walls, and eye-catching decorations. Many books are integrated with QR codes for quick searching. Equipment such as projectors, touch screens, and networked computers are also provided.

The Lao Cai Provincial Library has a very wide variety of books.

Ms. Dinh Thuy Quynh, a staff member at the Provincial Library, shared: “Every day, we interact with hundreds of students of various ages. The number of young readers is quite large, so maintaining a quiet environment requires great skill. We always try to listen, guide gently, and help the children learn and play at the same time, while still maintaining good discipline.”

Beyond serving the reading needs of students, the Provincial Library also acts as a bridge between families, schools, and social organizations in promoting a reading culture. Ms. Cao Thi Thanh from the Lao Cai Provincial Social Work Center stated: “The Lao Cai Provincial Library is a meaningful destination for the children living and studying at the Provincial Social Work Center. They come to the Provincial Library not only to access a rich collection of books but also to develop life skills through extracurricular activities.”

The Lao Cai Provincial Library is one of the meaningful destinations for the children living and studying at the Provincial Social Work Center.

Many parents also choose the Provincial Library as a summer vacation destination so their children have a space for learning and socializing. Here, children can make new friends, participate in group activities, and increase their confidence and communication skills.

The library space has truly become a place to nurture dreams and cultivate aspirations for the younger generation. Tong Khanh Linh, a 5th-grade student from Nguyen Du Primary School, who won first prize in the provincial reading culture competition, shared: “I often go to the library on weekends to read comic books and tell stories. This summer, I will come every afternoon to read books and review my knowledge.”

Nguyen Chi Tuong, a student in class 12C2 at Lao Cai City High School No. 2, said: “The library has many books that summarize knowledge in the new exam format, which is very useful for 12th-grade students. Besides printed books, I also use the electronic library to look up reference materials.”

Many students choose the Provincial Library as a destination to further their knowledge.

According to Ms. Vy Kieu Kim, Deputy Director of the Provincial Library, in the coming time, the unit will continue to modernize its facilities, expand its digital document collection, develop the electronic library, and strengthen cooperation with schools, parents, and social organizations to spread reading culture to the community.

"We clearly understand that libraries are not just about preserving knowledge, but also about creating an open learning environment, fostering a love of books and a spirit of self-learning in the younger generation. Each book is a new world, and we believe that libraries will be the starting point for sustainable journeys of knowledge, giving wings to dreams," Ms. Kim emphasized.

From small books to grand aspirations - the Lao Cai Provincial Library is contributing to nurturing a generation of learning, creative, and humane citizens.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/khu-vuon-tri-thuc-post402588.html