Promoting a reading culture at the "Kilogram Book Fair"

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - If knowledge is a common asset of humanity, then promoting reading and spreading a reading culture is not the responsibility of any single individual, agency, or organization, but a shared responsibility of the entire society. In Thanh Hoa, over the years, in addition to the attention and efforts from all levels, sectors, units, and organizations, many young people have joined hands and contributed through practical and meaningful actions to promote a reading culture in the community.

At The Life Cafe, the "Kilogram Book Fair" is held 2-3 times a year, featuring thousands of books across various genres and fields.

Last weekend, Nguyen Van Hoang (38 years old), the owner of The Life Cafe, collaborated with a group of young people in Hanoi to organize a "Kilogram Book Fair" right in his cafe.

This book fair offers a wonderful opportunity for parents and book-loving children in Thanh Hoa, bringing together thousands of excellent children's books in diverse genres such as: fairy tales, fables, comics; history books, science books exploring the world; life skills books to help children develop comprehensively; coloring books, handwriting practice books, jigsaw puzzles, etc. In addition, the fair still features many impressive books catering to a wide range of ages. Books on display include both new and used books with various price points and pricing methods, calculated by kilogram or percentage discount (30%, 50%, 70%...), but generally all are cheaper than the cover price. The books are neatly arranged and categorized for the convenience of readers in browsing, choosing, and purchasing.

Ms. Dieu Linh (33 years old, Hac Thanh ward) and her husband and children participated in the book fair quite early. Ms. Linh had known about this event for a long time through posts on Facebook, but only now had the opportunity to experience it. “My work is busy, and I have young children, so sometimes I know about it but can't arrange to go. Coming here, I'm very happy; it feels like I'm slowing down. The cafe has a cool, green space, located in a quiet corner of the street. The books are diverse, with many topics for the whole family to choose from, suitable for different interests and ages,” Ms. Linh commented.

What made Ms. Linh even happier and somewhat surprised was that both her husband and children were very "cooperative" and enthusiastic about the book fair. Especially the two little ones, who clung to each other, choosing books while whispering about the content of the books they read. Ms. Linh shared: "Our family will definitely come back for future book fairs."

This was also the first time Nhu Ngoc (17 years old, a student at Quang Xuong 1 High School) participated in the "Kilogram Book Fair" at The Life Cafe. Nhu Ngoc's house is about 20km from the book fair location, so even when she knew about it and wanted to participate, she couldn't. Nhu Ngoc shared: "I really like detective stories, memoirs, and novels about family and relationships. I enjoy reading but haven't had the opportunity to regularly buy books or attend book fairs."

This "Kilogram Book Fair" coincided with her brother's visit from Hanoi, so Ngoc asked him to take her there. Carefully browsing through the book displays, Ngoc selected several books for herself and her younger sibling at home. "I hope Thanh Hoa will have more book fairs and book-related events like this organized in schools and localities to spread awareness, connect people, and create opportunities for students and rural children like me to access and participate," Ngoc shared.

Because it was a weekend, the book fair became increasingly crowded as lunchtime approached. Many people were seen carrying their favorite books to the checkout counter. Some had initially come to The Life Cafe to enjoy a leisurely weekend morning, sipping coffee and chatting with friends, but were so drawn to the lively atmosphere of the book fair that they eagerly joined in. Others simply happened to pass by, saw the book fair, and became curious, ending up captivated and spending an hour browsing books without any intention of leaving.

Mr. Vu Cong Phuong (40 years old), a self-employed businessman, took the opportunity to attend a book fair while waiting for business partners to arrive. He bought several storybooks, science books, and skill-building books for his children. Mr. Phuong said: “The children are on summer vacation and aren’t attending many extra classes, so they’re getting too caught up in watching TV and using phones. Seeing that the book fair had many children’s books, I chose to buy some, hoping to distract them from smart devices and cultivate a reading culture in them.”

It is known that Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang has been organizing the "Kilogram Book Fair" for over 3 years now, regularly 2-3 times a year, each fair lasting about 4-5 days. Mr. Hoang shared: "I myself am a book lover and care about developing a reading culture. Previously, Thanh Hoa almost lacked book fairs. In recent times, thanks to the attention of all levels and sectors, along with the spread of Vietnam Book Day and Reading Culture, Thanh Hoa has increasingly organized book fairs and book-related activities. My desire is to create a space to connect book lovers, spread the love of books to the community, so that everyone can buy books at affordable prices without worrying about counterfeit or pirated books. At the same time, I also want to enhance the customer experience when visiting The Life Cafe." Besides organizing the "Kilogram Book Fair," The Life Cafe, owned by young entrepreneur Nguyen Van Hoang, is also a regular venue for flower arrangement workshops, outdoor music programs, and more, gradually shaping a cultural space that combines a cafe.

The book fair space has shown many positive signs regarding the widespread and significant changes in community awareness about books, reading, and reading culture. Mr. Hoang added: “Over the past three years of organizing the book fair, I've noticed that many people in Thanh Hoa, from the elderly to young people, have a love, passion, and interest in reading. I feel very happy to be able to contribute to connecting and spreading that love and interest through organizing the book fair. This is also the motivation for me and my colleagues to continue maintaining and developing the book fair further, from arranging and decorating the space more beautifully and scientifically, to continuing to search for and add good, quality books to meet the needs of everyone participating in the book fair...”

Text and photos: Hoang Linh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/lan-toa-van-hoa-doc-o-hoi-sach-ki-lo-255318.htm