Reading culture contributes to "sowing the seeds" of knowledge.

After 5 years of implementing the project to develop reading culture in the community of Lao Cai province from 2021 to 2025, from lowlands to highlands, reading culture is not only present in libraries and schools but has spread to the community, contributing to "sowing the seeds" of knowledge, arousing the aspiration for lifelong learning, and building Lao Cai people who are eager to learn, creative, and compassionate.

Báo Lào Cai•14/11/2025

In implementing Decision No. 329/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister , the province has issued many policies and mechanisms suitable to the characteristics of mountainous areas to develop reading culture. Two important documents, Plan No. 124/KH-UBND on developing reading culture and Plan No. 325/KH-UBND on digital transformation in library activities, are considered guiding principles for the implementation process.

Based on that direction, the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed the Provincial Library to take the lead in coordinating with units and localities throughout the province to implement the plan. Action programs were concretized and disseminated to each locality, school unit, and armed forces, where reading culture is not just a movement but has become an integral part of the community's spiritual life.

Currently, the province has one provincial library (with two facilities operating simultaneously), 25 commune libraries, and 267 community book collections. Over the past five years, the Lao Cai Provincial Library has added more than 102,000 new books, bringing the total collection to over 531,000 printed books; 170 types of newspapers and magazines; and over half a million pages of digitized documents. Notably, the library has issued and renewed over 35,000 reader cards, served over 1.1 million people, and circulated over 2 million books and newspapers – impressive figures for a mountainous region.

As a frequent young reader of the library, Ha Van Khanh from Cam Duong ward expressed: "The library has many kinds of books, each book brings us a lot of knowledge. The library space is airy and clean, and besides reading, I can also participate in many interesting folk games, so I really like coming here."

Beyond traditional reading spaces, mobile libraries and digital knowledge spaces have significantly expanded access to information.

Alongside this are hundreds of programs and events celebrating reading culture: Book Reading Festival, Lifelong Learning Week, Reading Culture Ambassador competitions, Children's Book Promotion and Introduction... attracting tens of thousands of students each year. These activities not only help children love books more but also inspire a spirit of self-learning and self-reading, laying the foundation for a solid character and knowledge base for future generations.

Behind every opened page lies the silent dedication of those working in the library. Ms. Ha Thi Hoe, a librarian at Bao Thang No. 2 High School, is one such exemplary figure. With her two initiatives, "Classroom Library Corner" and "Youth Reading Area," she has transformed the learning space into a friendly place for sharing knowledge, attracting thousands of students to read books every month.

"Each small reading corner in the classroom helps students manage their own books, choose their own, and share them. Gradually, reading becomes a joy rather than a chore," Ms. Hoè shared.

At Dong Cuong Primary and Secondary School in Dong Cuong commune, Ms. Truong Thi Kim Oanh, a school librarian, is a pioneer in digital transformation. Using VietBiblio software and online tools, she has created dozens of video clips, connecting data across schools and opening up new approaches for students in the mountainous region.

Furthermore, the movement to socialize libraries has also flourished. Thousands of books and hundreds of bookshelves have been contributed by organizations, individuals, and charitable groups, worth hundreds of millions of dong. The "Loving Highlands" Club is a prime example. The club has collaborated with the provincial library to build nearly 100 community bookshelves in Bac Ha, Si Ma Cai, Muong Khuong, and other areas.

Thanks to persistent efforts, the mobile library network and service activities have spread to many special groups such as the armed forces, social work centers, drug rehabilitation centers, and ethnic boarding schools. In particular, the mobile library vehicles carrying hundreds of books and digital equipment have become familiar companions for students throughout the province.

Ly Bao Ngoc, a student in class 7A1 at Le Hong Phong Secondary School in Luc Yen commune, shared: "When the mobile library came to our school, we really liked it. The vehicle had many interesting and useful books, helping us gain new knowledge and discover many things."

Not only students, but many parents and citizens also turn to books as a form of entertainment and learning. Many community cultural centers have become community reading spots, where people read together, exchange ideas, and share skills in production, family care, and raising children.

Ms. Dam Thi Nu, residing in Group 7, Cam Duong Ward, said: "Elderly people like us can come here to read books aloud to each other and exchange knowledge."

Another highlight is international cooperation in library services. During the period 2021-2025, the Provincial Library continued to maintain cooperative relationships with the Ethnic Library of Hekou County and the Honghe Prefecture Library (China), establishing a Chinese-language reading room with nearly 1,600 books to serve research, language learning, and cross-border cultural exchange...

In the age of technology, reading is no longer limited to paper books. The provincial library has built a digital knowledge space; an electronic database system with nearly 200,000 records of books, newspapers, and magazines, and more than 44,000 digitized documents, allowing readers to search online, register for e-cards, and borrow materials online.

Mr. Lin Thanh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Technology and Communication Department of the Lao Cai Provincial Library, said: "Every year, we digitize more than 35,000 pages of documents, focusing on materials about folk culture, local customs and traditions, etc., helping people to use digital data in the most convenient way."

Looking back over the past five years, most of the project's targets have been met or exceeded: 80% of students have access to information and knowledge; 85% of library users have reading skills, achieving 100% of the target. The reading movement has become a bridge to knowledge, contributing to building a learning society, raising the intellectual level of the population, and enriching the cultural life at the grassroots level.

Entering the period 2026-2030, Lao Cai identifies reading culture as the spiritual foundation and driving force for human development, closely linked to digital transformation, international integration, and building an environment for lifelong learning.