It was nearly 2 pm. Hoang Quang Khai, 28, in Lac Dao commune in Van Lam district in Hung Yen opened a small library, turned on the air conditioner, tidied chairs and tables and rearranged books on bookshelves to get ready to receive local children. This is Khai’s work at every weekend.

Khai’s 18 sq m library is meticulously decorated with colorful books and many lovely objects. Readers can easily find a quiet space to focus reading books, which Khai has been striving since the day he decided to develop the project on cultivating a reading culture in the community.

After finishing high school, Khai worked as a factory worker in Pho Noi A Industrial Zone in Hung Yen. After four years of work, he saved money after paying for living expenses and remitting money to parents to support them.

And it was time for Khai to begin his dream – building a library, free of charge, for his hamlet.

“My project faced strong opposition from my parents, who said I got all up in people’s business. However, I could receive support from my grandmother, who lent me an attic in a small house in Doan Khe hamlet which I use for the library,” Khai recalled.

Though he got an area for his library, he still could not open it because he did not have enough money. He had to borrow money from different sources and pay debts with his salary from the job at a factory. 

Khai used all his salary to pay debts, while continuing to borrow money from other sources to cover his daily basic needs.

And the library has been taking shape since then. He carried sand, cement and other building materials from the first floor to the second to build items, and then bought wood chips to create bookshelves.

He also bought flower vases, ceiling lights and carpets to create a relaxing, peaceful space.

When the reading room was almost finished, Khai began collecting books. He prioritized literature, life skills and psychology books, and bought books during sale promotion programs.

In June 2019, Khai’s library officially was completed. The number of books at the library has been increasing steadily.

Khai considers the library his second home over the last six years. He goes to work in the daytime and opens the library in the afternoon, welcoming all people who want to read and borrow books. The library is open on weekends.

Tu Linh - Thanh Minh