Developing a reading culture in the community.

- The rapid development of the Internet has changed many aspects of social life. Audio-visual media, in particular, have advantages, being more suitable and convenient than reading books and newspapers. However, reading books in the traditional way still retains its own cultural characteristics and knowledge values ​​that need to be maintained and developed within the community.

Nowadays, it's rare to see people intently reading in public places. Instead, many people are constantly glued to their phones. Mr. Le Hoang Nam (residing in My Phuoc ward, Long Xuyen city) shared: “Through various sources of information and materials on the Internet, everyone can easily update their knowledge. However, the appeal and attractiveness of a book lies in the intellectual content and knowledge it contains. This is the decisive factor in determining the book's position over other audio-visual media. I find that the knowledge from books is still more in-depth because the content is meticulously compiled and published. The special thing is, once we get used to reading books and discover the good things they offer, we become 'addicted' to them.”

Building a learning society and promoting lifelong learning is always linked to a reading culture, considered both an urgent task and one with long-term strategic significance. Therefore, forming a reading habit in each individual always requires time and guidance from family and school from a young age. Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thuy (My Xuyen ward, Long Xuyen city) shared: “My husband and I share a love of reading, so we want to instill a reading habit in our two children. Every week, the family goes to the bookstore together, using books as gifts whenever the children do something good or achieve high academic results.”

Reading books in the traditional way carries its own cultural characteristics and knowledge values.

The Provincial People's Committee has issued a plan for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030, aimed at building and developing reading habits, needs, skills, and movements among all segments of the population in An Giang province. This contributes to building a culture and people of An Giang who are compassionate, dynamic, creative, knowledgeable, skilled in their professions, and aspire to entrepreneurship. The plan outlines five tasks and solutions. These include focusing on information and communication to raise awareness among all levels, sectors, families, schools, communities, and society as a whole about the importance of developing a reading culture. Simultaneously, it focuses on building reading habits, equipping skills and methods for reading; improving institutions, mechanisms, and policies; promoting social participation; enhancing the effectiveness of the public library system; strengthening the application of information technology; and expanding library cooperation.

The plan anticipates that by 2025, 85% of students and other learners in educational institutions will have access to and use information and knowledge at public libraries and educational institution libraries; 30% of people in rural areas and 20% of people in remote and border areas will have access to and use information, knowledge, and related services at public library systems, cultural centers, and community learning centers; 50% of people will have the skills to receive and use information and knowledge through reading and lifelong learning; and 90% of library users will have the skills to receive and use information and knowledge through reading for learning, research, and entertainment… By 2030, the province will continue to expand the reading environment with various forms of access to the grassroots level. People's reading habits and skills in accessing and using information and knowledge in their living, studying, and working environments are increasing. The target is to achieve 0.5 - 1 book per person in the public library system; on average, each person reads 5 books per year…

Reading is not only about acquiring knowledge, but also a way for people to cultivate their thinking, nurture their souls, and enhance their understanding. Therefore, developing a reading culture in the community is a crucial task, contributing to building a learning society and sustainable development. Many traditional activities encouraging reading are organized by relevant units, localities, and sectors, such as: mobile book carts during festivals; building green libraries in schools; organizing children's storytelling competitions, book introductions, and book festivals, creating a joyful and comfortable space for people to access books. These activities aim to promote and encourage each individual to raise awareness of the value of reading and actively spread this habit to the community.

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/phat-trien-van-hoa-doc-trong-cong-dong-a420049.html