Reading culture in modern life: Young people and the mission of preservation and continuation

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Phuong shares about her reading habits.

In addition to preserving their love for traditional reading, they are gradually adopting new, interesting and modern reading methods.

Long-standing cultural beauty

Walking along Lang Street (Dong Da, Hanoi ), it is not difficult to come across old bookstores that carry the nostalgic beauty of a treasure trove of knowledge from the past. Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, the owner of an old bookstore on Lang Street, shared: “Customers come here not only to buy books but also to find memories associated with old books. Some people are looking for childhood books, others want to collect special editions. I always try to create a cozy space for people to sit, read books and chat about their favorite works.”

According to Mr. Minh, although electronic books and newspapers are increasingly dominant, many people still maintain the habit of reading and collecting old books and newspapers. For them, this is both a joy and a unique cultural beauty to keep up with the digital age.

Many books and documents, though stained by time, are still carefully preserved in bookstores on Dinh Le Street, Lang Street, etc. This is proof of the appreciation of knowledge and reading culture of Hanoians.

Mr. Tran Trung Quan (30 years old, Dong Da district, Hanoi) said that he has a habit of collecting books. In his bookshelf there are many old books, old books with diverse content and genre.

“Sometimes there are limited edition books, special editions or works by famous authors that are out of print and I can only find them in used bookstores. These can be classic literature, historical novels, science books, to rare editions and special editions.

Some people often think that old books are not as good as new books. However, the reality is that there are many types of old books, some of which are carefully preserved by their previous owners, so they are still clean and beautiful as new. In my bookshelf, there are old books that are 90-95% new, and the price is much lower.

Currently, in Hanoi, there are many book streets, book fairs, book exhibitions and a variety of book cafes. Some prominent spaces known to many book lovers are 19/12 Street, Dinh Le Book Street; Kim Dong, Nha Nam, Mao bookstores, etc.

In addition, young people also love book cafes with quiet spaces such as Tiny Café, Nha Nam, Café Stucolab, The Wiselands Coffee, Le Book club... These places either open periodically or organize reading activities, develop a year-round reading culture, creating familiar addresses, "meeting places" with familiar books for Hanoians as well as domestic and foreign tourists.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Phuong, Communications Department staff of Vietnam Books and Media Company shared: “We have organized many campaigns and projects to spread reading culture in the community. At the same time, we use these platforms to share articles, videos introducing books, organize online reading competitions, and interact directly with readers.”

In the era of strong development of technology and communication, online reading groups attract a lot of attention from book lovers everywhere. Ms. Thuy Phuong added that the most important factor to attract the interest of young people in activities to encourage reading is creativity and interactivity. Young people today like dynamic, highly interactive activities such as reading challenges on social networks, or online interactions with authors.

In addition to working at the Communications Department of Vietnam Books and Media Company, Ms. Phuong also shows her passion for books through her personal TikTok channel called “Loát soát”, where she shares her personal feelings about books and literary works, while spreading the love of reading to the online community.

Efforts to spread reading culture in the community have been bringing positive results. This is not only a way to maintain and develop reading culture but also a way to build a community of knowledge, where people learn, share and develop together.

The TikTok channel 'Squeaky' received positive reception from young people.

Keeping up with the digital age

Reading books has always been an indispensable need in the spiritual life of each individual. However, in the era of technology 4.0, the explosion of audio-visual media systems has had a strong impact on all human activities, including reading methods and the habit of learning and acquiring knowledge through books.

The emergence of e-books and online reading platforms such as Google Play Books or reading apps from publishers have brought new, convenient options that are suitable for modern life. However, traditional books still hold an important position in the hearts of book lovers. The combination of these two forms of reading is helping the reading culture in Hanoi develop more diversely and richly.

When asked about reading habits in the new era, Vu Thi Ngoc Bich, a final year student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, shared: “I see that the development of technology has changed the reading habits of young people in Hanoi a lot. People tend to like reading e-books because of their convenience, they can read anytime, anywhere. However, I still keep the habit of reading paper books because this method makes me less distracted, I can take notes of important passages. Reading books is also a way to help each person relieve stress in life.”

Mr. Nguyen Van Minh shares about his reading habits.

As a person with a passion for books, Pham Khanh Ly, a student at the Diplomatic Academy, expressed her agreement with the changes in reading culture in the new era. Khanh Ly shared that the combination of traditional books and e-books in the 4.0 era is very obvious and necessary.

“Paper books give a real feeling, convenient for taking notes and marking. Besides, reading books keeps our eyes healthy, helps us focus better. Many books also have spiritual value when they are gifts from friends, family or books passed down from previous generations.

In particular, reading paper books is also a way for us to contribute to protecting copyright. Meanwhile, e-books are convenient, can be carried anywhere, anytime, and most importantly, they are suitable for the hustle and bustle of modern life. Both forms have their own values ​​and can complement each other," Khanh Ly said.

In general, the combination of traditional books and e-books is considered a step forward in preserving and promoting the reading culture of Hanoians. “Hanoi is flexibly adapting to changes in technology, while still preserving and promoting the traditional values ​​of reading culture.

To maintain and develop a reading culture, we need to actively participate in many activities to encourage reading, especially for the younger generation. Programs such as 'Book Festival', book reading competitions, or meetings with authors will help spread the love of books to the public," Khanh Ly emphasized.

Reading culture is adapting flexibly to changes in technology, while still preserving and promoting traditional values. With the combination of tradition and modernity, reading culture in Hanoi is gradually developing, creating a dynamic intellectual community where people learn, share and develop together.

Hopefully, alongside the development of e-books, the traditional printed book market will still exist as an indispensable means of disseminating information and knowledge.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is competition with other forms of entertainment such as movies, games, and social media. To overcome this obstacle, we need to focus on creating engaging content, taking advantage of social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to reach young people, which is considered an effective method” - Nguyen Thuy Phuong, Communications staff of Vietnam Book and Media Company

According to giaoducthoidai.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/van-hoa-doc-trong-nhip-song-hien-dai-nguoi-tre-va-su-menh-gin-giu-tiep-noi-post401523.html