Many youths are looking for books at the Hai Ba Trung book street. Photo: Phan Thanh.
Hue is the major center of education and training of the central region and the country. There are many universities, colleges and high schools with thousands of students in the city. Yet, book-related exchanges and entertainment activities have not met demands of a number of book lovers since there is no fixed book space or an open cultural hub for developing and motivating reading habits and culture.
After many years of organizing events and book exhibitions in numerous provinces and cities, especially in the Central Highland provinces, the Book-Hue C&C Joint Stock Company launched a pilot project of “Hai Ba Trung Street Book Hub” in early May 2018.
With the total cost of over VND 7.5 billion (approx. USD 330,000) for the construction, books and stationery procurement, the book hub of 125m long is located on the sidewalk of Hai Ba Trung Street, from the Nguyen Hue intersection to Phan Dinh Phung street, and exhibits over 10,000 books of all types.
Mr Ha Huy Chien, Director of the Book-Hue C&C Joint Stock Company, informs that in addition to English, French and Vietnamese books, magazines, comics, children's books, etc., this hub showcases such “rare books” as the book collection of old publishers, old French books, and magazines from the period of 1952-1953.
Furthermore, the company regularly organizes meaningful events such as English story telling competitions, new works introduction, talkshows with authors or other thematic activities.
“On the coming anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh on May 19, the company will collaborate with the Office of the provincial Party Committee to hold a book exhibition on Uncle Ho in the three dates of seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth of this May. This will introduce books, novels, and stories of different authors about Uncle Ho. Especially, the exhibition will also introduce books written by Uncle Ho in order to arouse students’ reading passions, thereby educating the patriotic traditions and love for homeland of Hue people,” stresses Mr. Chien.
After more than half a month, the hub has attracted hundred thousands of visits. The book sales reaches over VND 200 million. It forms a featured book hub with an essence of the book world at the center of the city.
“With prices ranging from one thousand to one million VND a book, readers can buy a number of good and precious old books and magazines from the 1990s. Sipping a cup of coffee, discovering the world of books and buying my favourite books are so wonderful,” shares Mr. Hoang Ngoc Binh, a resident of Vinh Ninh ward.
Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Dao, Head of Hue City’s Information and Culture Section, informs that this is the model of “socialization” of investment in building cultural services to be first implemented in Hue city, contributing to building a “learning city” to meet demands of raising people's intellectual standards and creating entertainment and book reading space for local people.
This is a two-year pilot project (from 2018 to 2019). Therefore, in addition to infrastructure investment, this enterprise is requested to provide more books, to renovate its management model and to regularly organize thematic programs and activities to attract visitors and readers. After two years, if the company performs its initial commitments, the project will be continued.
The Director of the Book-Hue C&C Joint Stock Company says that, after an effective operation with an obvious attraction of readers, the company is investing VND 500 million more to open a showroom to introduce Hue’s souvenir gifts. This will create an abundant and diverse space for the book hub, and meet local people’s needs of recreations, entertainments and book reading.
By Thanh Hương