Floating library: Children enjoy reading books on a floating library in the garden. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Most children in the modern age spend much oftheir spare time playing games on smart phones or tablets. Reading for pleasureand knowledge seems to have become a habit of the past.
But things are changing in one Vietnamese city.Children in Viet Hoa ward in Hai Duong city some 50 kilometres east of Hanoi,now frequently visit a tranquil garden during vacations or time off.
The garden, known as Chi Cac, is a place wherethey can indulge themselves in the hobby of reading books - either under theshade of trees or on a "floating library". Everything is free ofcharge.
“There are many kinds of books,” said12-year-old Le Duy Hung. “I visit the garden whenever I have free time. I enjoythe space of reading in Chi Cac garden very much.”
The garden is the brainchild of 61-year-old PhamVan Xuan, a retired soldier and a book-lover.
Xuan’s love for books began in his childhood andwas inherited from his parents. His father set up a family library thatcontained many precious books, a custom the boy is passing on as he continuesto read and collect books.
He came up with the idea of setting up a readinggarden at his home when he realised that the reading culture was under threatfrom the increasing development of information technology.
“At first, I planned to create a space forelderly people so that they could get together and read books. I had alsonoticed that fewer and fewer of them were maintaining their old hobby ofreading,” Xuan said.
“However, as more young people learned about mygarden, they also began to visit, especially during the summer holidays. Mygarden serves them as well,”
The establishment of the Chi Cac reading gardenbegan early this year with an investment of about 300 million VND (13,200 USD)from Xuan’s own pocket.
Nearly all the area of the garden around hishouse, covering 1,600 sq.m, has been converted into a green space just forreading books. Xuan has planted many trees not only for shade, but also tofreshen the atmosphere.
Under each tree he has placed a bench so thatreaders can enjoy their hobby with nature.
The highlight of the garden is the"floating library" built on a pond in the middle of Xuan’s garden.Covering a total area of about 30sq.m, the library houses more than 1,500 booksdivided into categories just as in any normal library.
There is also a collection of popular dailynewspapers that elderly citizens find highly appealing.
Open from 8am to 5pm every day, Chi Cac attractsmany visitors, especially the young and the retired. Readers can either readbooks on the spot or borrow them and take them home.
During the recent summer holidays, the gardenwas visited by hundreds of children a day.
“Some of them are absorbed in reading so muchthat sometimes I have to remind them to go home to study,” Xuan said.
Sometimes the library welcomes special guests,Xuan’s friends from nearby districts who come to enjoy tea and discuss goodbooks together.
The Chi Cac reading garden is actually the thirdtime that the veteran has opened a library, but it is the first one he hasopened to the public.
“The idea of opening a library first came to mein 1976 when I was still in the army and saw that there were many recyclablewar materials. I suggested selling these discarded materials to establish asmall library of about 400 books for the soldiers. There were not many means ofentertainment like today and reading seemed to be the only source of fun forus,” he recalls.
“The second library was mainly for family useand opened in the 1990s. However, over time, many books became worn out oreven were lost, so I found I could not maintain both libraries.
Xuan’s determination to open his third libraryhas received tremendous support from his family and friends. The books in thelibrary have kept increasing as more and more people have learned about theproject and donated books.
The Chi Cac reading garden has also become atrusted address for the provincial library which often seeks advice on updatingits own collection using Xuan’s broad knowledge and thorough selections.
“To develop the reading garden both in terms ofbook quantity and quality, I will continue to call for donations from myacquaintances,” Xuan said.
In several months, his library will enrich itscollection with 500 new books thanks to an exchange programme between Xuan andHai Duong province’s library.
“I also plan to discuss with principals inschools within the province on organising field trips for students to the ChiCac reading garden, which will help them to broaden their knowledge and relaxafter hard study,” the library owner adds.
He also says he wishes to attract more localchildren to the garden by opening robotics and free English classes in the nearfuture, if his budget will bear it.
“If we want to encourage reading again, weshould cultivate it among children,” he added.-VNA
But things are changing in one Vietnamese city.Children in Viet Hoa ward in Hai Duong city some 50 kilometres east of Hanoi,now frequently visit a tranquil garden during vacations or time off.
The garden, known as Chi Cac, is a place wherethey can indulge themselves in the hobby of reading books - either under theshade of trees or on a "floating library". Everything is free ofcharge.
“There are many kinds of books,” said12-year-old Le Duy Hung. “I visit the garden whenever I have free time. I enjoythe space of reading in Chi Cac garden very much.”
The garden is the brainchild of 61-year-old PhamVan Xuan, a retired soldier and a book-lover.
Xuan’s love for books began in his childhood andwas inherited from his parents. His father set up a family library thatcontained many precious books, a custom the boy is passing on as he continuesto read and collect books.
He came up with the idea of setting up a readinggarden at his home when he realised that the reading culture was under threatfrom the increasing development of information technology.
“At first, I planned to create a space forelderly people so that they could get together and read books. I had alsonoticed that fewer and fewer of them were maintaining their old hobby ofreading,” Xuan said.
“However, as more young people learned about mygarden, they also began to visit, especially during the summer holidays. Mygarden serves them as well,”
The establishment of the Chi Cac reading gardenbegan early this year with an investment of about 300 million VND (13,200 USD)from Xuan’s own pocket.
Nearly all the area of the garden around hishouse, covering 1,600 sq.m, has been converted into a green space just forreading books. Xuan has planted many trees not only for shade, but also tofreshen the atmosphere.
Under each tree he has placed a bench so thatreaders can enjoy their hobby with nature.
The highlight of the garden is the"floating library" built on a pond in the middle of Xuan’s garden.Covering a total area of about 30sq.m, the library houses more than 1,500 booksdivided into categories just as in any normal library.
There is also a collection of popular dailynewspapers that elderly citizens find highly appealing.
Open from 8am to 5pm every day, Chi Cac attractsmany visitors, especially the young and the retired. Readers can either readbooks on the spot or borrow them and take them home.
During the recent summer holidays, the gardenwas visited by hundreds of children a day.
“Some of them are absorbed in reading so muchthat sometimes I have to remind them to go home to study,” Xuan said.
Sometimes the library welcomes special guests,Xuan’s friends from nearby districts who come to enjoy tea and discuss goodbooks together.
The Chi Cac reading garden is actually the thirdtime that the veteran has opened a library, but it is the first one he hasopened to the public.
“The idea of opening a library first came to mein 1976 when I was still in the army and saw that there were many recyclablewar materials. I suggested selling these discarded materials to establish asmall library of about 400 books for the soldiers. There were not many means ofentertainment like today and reading seemed to be the only source of fun forus,” he recalls.
“The second library was mainly for family useand opened in the 1990s. However, over time, many books became worn out oreven were lost, so I found I could not maintain both libraries.
Xuan’s determination to open his third libraryhas received tremendous support from his family and friends. The books in thelibrary have kept increasing as more and more people have learned about theproject and donated books.
The Chi Cac reading garden has also become atrusted address for the provincial library which often seeks advice on updatingits own collection using Xuan’s broad knowledge and thorough selections.
“To develop the reading garden both in terms ofbook quantity and quality, I will continue to call for donations from myacquaintances,” Xuan said.
In several months, his library will enrich itscollection with 500 new books thanks to an exchange programme between Xuan andHai Duong province’s library.
“I also plan to discuss with principals inschools within the province on organising field trips for students to the ChiCac reading garden, which will help them to broaden their knowledge and relaxafter hard study,” the library owner adds.
He also says he wishes to attract more localchildren to the garden by opening robotics and free English classes in the nearfuture, if his budget will bear it.
“If we want to encourage reading again, weshould cultivate it among children,” he added.-VNA
VNA
