Wednesday, 10 June 2026

6 June 2026 marked a special milestone in Dr Nguyen Manh Hung’s nearly two-decade journey to foster and spread a culture of reading. It was the day the COMMUNITY LIBRARY Project was officially launched and began operating.

For many, this may seem like a new initiative. But for Dr Hung, it represents the culmination of a long journey – one that has been nurtured, cultivated and pursued with unwavering determination over many years.

From a Modest Aspiration…

When he founded Thai Ha Books in 2007, Dr Nguyen Manh Hung carried within him a deeply held conviction: for a nation to develop sustainably, it must invest in its people. And to develop its people, it must cultivate a culture of reading.

Reading does far more than enrich our knowledge. It transforms the way we think. It broadens our horizons. It nurtures our character. It enables us to live more thoughtfully, with greater understanding and a deeper sense of responsibility towards ourselves, our families and society.

Perhaps it is because of this enduring dedication that many people have affectionately called him a champion of “Reading Culture”, or even “Dr Reading Culture”. For him, such recognition is both a source of joy and a responsibility, inspiring him to continue along the path he has chosen.

A Journey of Perseverance Spanning Nearly 20 Years

A culture of reading cannot be nurtured through appeals alone. It requires concrete action, practical models and long-term initiatives.

Since 2007, Dr Nguyen Manh Hung, together with the Thai Ha Books team and numerous supporting organisations and individuals, has implemented a wide range of programmes and projects.

These include the activities of Vietnam Reading Promotion; the donation of 340 ATM Bookshelves to communities across the country; the establishment of dozens of Reading Promotion Bookshelves; Reading Corners in schools, organisations and communities; and 139 Reading Books Together programmes designed to encourage people to read collectively and share the value of books. There have also been book donation campaigns, book fairs, seminars, author meetings, reading skills workshops and countless other activities.

Each initiative, however modest, has served one shared purpose: to bring books closer to everyone.

From the Human Library to Community Libraries

On 3 March 2026, Dr Hung and Thai Ha Books launched the HUMAN LIBRARY model. It was a remarkable idea. Every person is a living book. Every life is a library of knowledge, experience and lessons learnt. When people are willing to share their stories with sincerity, knowledge no longer remains quietly on bookshelves. Instead, it travels from one person to another.

From this foundation, an even greater vision began to take shape: the creation of COMMUNITY LIBRARIES.

On 6 June 2026, the project officially began operating.

A Community Library is far more than a space filled with books. It is a place where people connect. A place where knowledge is shared. A place for lifelong learning. A place where reading culture is nurtured. A place where the seeds of a learning society are sown through its citizens. A place where anyone can come to read, learn, exchange ideas and grow together. The aspiration is for every ward and commune to have its own Community Library.

For nearly 20 years, Dr Nguyen Manh Hung has firmly believed:

If every family has a bookshelf, we will have learning families. If every school has a good library, we will nurture a generation of lifelong learners. If every ward and commune has a Community Library, we will build a learning society.

His dream does not end with the establishment of a handful of libraries. He hopes that, in the near future, every ward, every commune, every residential neighbourhood, every organisation, every business and every community will have its own Community Library.

It might be a small room. A reading corner. A shared community space. An open library. Or an innovative model tailored to the circumstances of each locality.

What matters is not whether the space is large or small.

What matters is that there are books. There is knowledge. There is human connection. There is a spirit of learning and service to the community.

United in Purpose and Sincere in Heart for a Nation of Readers

The Community Library Project does not belong to Dr Nguyen Manh Hung alone. Nor does it belong solely to Thai Ha Books.

It is a project for the community, created to serve the community, and one that requires the collective efforts of the entire community.

Dr Nguyen Manh Hung makes a heartfelt appeal to government authorities, social organisations, businesses, schools, families and individuals to join hands in this endeavour:

Donate books. Share knowledge. Provide spaces. Contribute funding. Support operations. Build connections. Help spread the initiative.

Above all, Dr Hung hopes that everyone will accompany him and his colleagues with unity of purpose and sincerity of heart.

Unity of purpose means coming together in pursuit of a shared and meaningful goal.

Sincerity of heart means giving with genuine love and a sense of responsibility.

When many people are united in purpose and sincere in their commitment, even the most ambitious dreams can become reality.

The Journey Continues

Looking back on the years since 2007, Dr Nguyen Manh Hung feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Gratitude to those who love books. Gratitude to his devoted colleagues. Gratitude to the organisations, businesses and individuals who have accompanied him. And gratitude to the millions of readers throughout Vietnam.

Yet he also understands that this is only the beginning. The road towards building a strong reading culture remains long. The journey towards creating a learning society still requires immense effort. The COMMUNITY LIBRARY Project represents another important step forward on that journey.

He believes that, with the collective commitment of communities, a shared love of knowledge and a spirit of service, the day will come when Community Libraries can be found throughout Vietnam – from bustling cities to peaceful rural villages, from mountainous regions to distant islands. Everywhere, their doors will be open, welcoming people to read, learn and grow together. This is more than a dream. It is a journey.

And that journey begins today. This very June. Beginning on 6 June 2026, and continuing far into the future…