Students enjoy reading books in the NON library at Phan Chu Trinh Secondary School (Dak Som, Dak Glong, Dak Nong ) – Photo: LINH THOAI
Despite the busy days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), nearly 30 young people in their twenties still managed to set aside two weekend days to work with NON to create a creative library for students at Phan Chu Trinh Secondary School (Dak Som commune, Dak Glong district, Dak Nong province).
What's special about NON is that it not only brings thousands of great books, but also focuses on "renovating library spaces through creative design solutions," creating a reading space that is both visually pleasing and relaxing for young children.
NON – the project name – means both young shoots, non-profit, and that the library is more than just a place to store books.
NON hopes that children everywhere will have the opportunity to access libraries in the most enjoyable and comfortable way possible. Libraries are not just places to store books, but also destinations where children can connect with friends, read, learn, develop skills, play, create, and become better versions of themselves.
Nguyen Thuy Phuong Anh (co-founder of the NON project)
Great books, beautiful shelves, comfortable chairs.
Nguyen Thuy Phuong Anh – co-founder of the NON project
Nguyen Thuy Phuong Anh – co-founder of the NON project – shared that after many trips to donate books to schools and reading spaces, she kept wondering if having good books alone wasn't enough if the reading space was dull and sterile.
That concern fueled the dream of this 1991-born woman with extensive management experience in the creative design industry (specializing in branding and interior design) to create a reading space where children would truly want to immerse themselves and be captivated by its exploration .
That dream took on a clearer form after a survey in An Giang about the needs of both students and librarians.
Faced with the disadvantages of children in remote areas and the lack of books for secondary school students, Phuong Anh and her teammates are determined to take the first steps for the NON project.
The project's two main pillars are The Lab Saigon creative studio – which designs reading spaces, handles branding, and supports communication strategies; and the Entertainment and Education Book Shelf program – which connects and selects reading spots with demand, provides expert advice on books, and promotes reading programs.
To create a charming space for children, NON offers lovely ladybug-themed shelves inspired by the image of a ladybug, along with comfortable beanbag chairs.
These eye-catching bookshelves, designed to appeal to children, were created after much experimentation by architect Tran Gia Tu. Gia Tu explained that he chose this design because the ladybug image is easily recognizable, a beneficial insect, and very familiar to the lives of children in rural areas.
In May 2024, the first NON library was established at Quang Trung Secondary School in Dong commune, K'bang district, Gia Lai province. Dak Nong is the second destination of the project, and this time NON began beautifying the library's exterior space with murals.
The volunteer groups divided themselves into teams: some painted the walls, others arranged books and decorated the library interior, some conducted career workshops, and others organized reading promotion activities through lively games…
With 15 years of experience running the Entertainment and Education Book Shelf – a program that donates books to those in need – Tran Thi Kim Thoa (born in 1986, currently working in sustainable agricultural development and forest protection) – co-founder of the NON project – has extensive experience in selecting good books.
Looking at the array of attractive book covers displayed on the shelves at the second NON library, Kim Thoa's eyes sparkled: "If the children just read a few books here, they will gain so much wonderful knowledge." According to Kim Thoa, the top criterion for the project in choosing a destination is that the place has a librarian who is passionate about reading and knows how to create a vibrant atmosphere in the library.
When the reading space shines brightly
On the day the library was handed over at Phan Chu Trinh Secondary School, the students who came to visit were overwhelmed with joy and excitement, saying, "Our school now has an unexpectedly beautiful library."
H'Uyên, a Ma ethnic minority student in class 9A2, excitedly said: "I'm so happy that the library has so many books for students to refer to, and it's wonderful that we have another place to relax after stressful lessons." H' Thận, H'Uyên's classmate, used the word "radiant" to describe the new reading space: "The library used to be gloomy, but now it's so radiant, it makes me want to go to the library more often."
Seeing her workspace "transformed" thanks to the NON project, librarian Nguyen Thi Thuy couldn't hide her emotion. As she shared, after nearly 20 years since graduating, she had never had the opportunity to pursue her passion in a context where the library was practically nonexistent with limited funding.
After a week, Ms. Thuy recounted: “The library was overloaded every day with students flocking in; during each break, there were 40-50 students sitting and standing reading books. I was much busier, but incredibly happy.”
It's clear that what NON offers is not just a vibrant reading space, but also many other intangible values for the growth journey of both the beneficiaries and the young people participating in the project. Hopefully, NON will continue to grow stronger so that it can bring creative library spaces to many more places.
A2A Community – A Reading Station for Young PeopleSource: https://tuoitre.vn/non-dung-khong-gian-dep-cho-su-doc-20250120100424443.htm
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