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| A youngster reading books at Hue Book Space |
One of the most visible changes is the significant expansion of reading spaces in Hue. In the past, reading activities were largely confined to libraries, which were relatively static institutions. Today, books have appeared in far more dynamic settings, including schools, coffee shops, community spaces, and even within houses. The public library system has also been strengthened. The City General Library is gradually affirming its role as a central hub, while school libraries, classroom book corners, family book collections, and ancestral-lineage libraries, … are increasingly being replicated across the community. Models such as open reading spaces, book festivals, and author-reader exchange events have helped transform reading from an individual activity into an interactive cultural experience with strong potential for connection and dissemination.
What stands out is that in Hue, reading is no longer confined to the passive reception of knowledge, but is increasingly integrated with creativity and hands-on experiences. Book storytelling sessions, theatrical adaptations of literary works, and programs linking reading with heritage values and traditional arts have supported reading culture to become more approachable and engaging, particularly for younger audiences. This blend has gradually broken the rigid boundaries of conventional reading practices, turning reading culture into a more dynamic and living component of urban cultural life.
A key highlight in Hue’s strategy to foster a reading culture is the development of the “Hue Bookcase”. Beyond a mere collection of publications, it represents a systematic initiative to build a distinct “Hue knowledge system”, a repository that preserves, reconstructs, and disseminates the historical, cultural, and human values of Hue Ancient Capital.
Spanning from in-depth academic research to popular publications, and from print to digital formats, “Hue Bookcase” is steadily taking shape as a distinctive knowledge resource, serving not only reading purposes but also research, education, and cultural promotion.
Additionally, efforts are underway to collect, preserve, and digitize valuable sources of documentation, particularly Han Nom manuscripts held at the village and commune levels. These materials constitute invaluable “memory heritage”, carrying the historical depth and accumulated knowledge of generations.
As many of these sources face the risk of deterioration or disappearance, digitization is not simply a technical measure but also a strategic decision, one that ensures their long-term safeguarding while broadening accessibility. In the digitized era, these documents are no longer confined within rigid “archival walls”; instead, they evolve into dynamic resources capable of engaging wider audiences, especially younger generations.
However, it cannot be denied that the reading culture today is facing numerous challenges, particularly in the context of rapid digital advancement. The surge of social media, online entertainment platforms, and short-form video content has significantly reshaped how people consume information, especially among younger generations. Time spent on traditional reading is on the decline, while attention spans and the capacity for deep, sustained reading are increasingly affected.
Yet, from another perspective, these challenges also open up new opportunities. The issue is not about preserving reading culture in its traditional form, but about redefining it within a new context. For Hue, a heritage city moving toward a smart development model, the integration of tradition and technology is an inevitable path. Building digital library systems and developing online reading platforms, e-books, and audiobooks are not merely trends but practical solutions to expand access to knowledge. At the same time, the application of technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality in book presentation, as well as in the reinterpretation of history and culture, can create entirely new reading experiences, ones that better align with the needs and preferences of younger generations.
More importantly, greater emphasis should be placed on developing Hue-branded content in the digital space. When stories of its history, heritage, cuisine, arts, and everyday life are presented in engaging, diverse, and creative ways, then reading, regardless of format, can naturally become an intrinsic demand. In a broader sense, reading culture is not confined to printed books; it encompasses the ability to absorb, process, and create knowledge within a multimedia environment.
At the same time, appropriate mechanisms are needed to encourage broad-based participation in the development of reading culture. From supporting publishing and distribution to creating reading spaces and sponsoring reading promotion initiatives, the engagement of businesses, social organizations, and the wider community will help foster a more diverse and sustainable reading ecosystem. Ultimately, reading culture cannot be the responsibility of a single sector, it is a shared commitment of society as a whole.
In the context of Hue’s recent elevation to a centrally-run governed municipality and its aspiration to become a heritage - cultural - ecological - smart urban center, reading culture takes on even greater significance as a foundational pillar. It is not only a measure of intellectual attainment, but also a form of soft power, helping to shape a modern Hue citizenry that is knowledgeable, culturally grounded, adaptable to the times, and yet firmly rooted in its identity.
From the pages of traditional books to the digital realm, from libraries to the wider community, from the efforts of the cultural sector to the collective engagement of society, reading culture in Hue is gradually being revitalized, nurtured, and spread. On its path toward the future, the depth of reading culture will be a decisive factor, ensuring that Hue not only develops, but does so in a sustainable, humane, and distinctly rooted way.