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Hanoi man runs library to offer free English books to children to promote creativity

Hanoi man runs library to offer free English books to children to promote creativity

Monday, April 12, 2021, 21:00 GMT+7
Hanoi man runs library to offer free English books to children to promote creativity
Two children read English books at Mia Bookhouse, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

A local man is operating a free-of-charge library in Hanoi, satisfying the reading needs of everybody and creating a convenient space for its visitors to communicate in English.

The library, situated on Kim Ma Street in Ba Dinh District, was launched in early 2020 by 40-year-old Nguyen Thanh Trung, who is also called Harry Trung Nguyen.

Trung founded an English training center right above the library and uses income from the English teaching to maintain his free facility, which he named Mia Bookhouse.

Nguyen Thanh Trung (right) introduces books to visitors at his free library in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Thanh Trung (right) introduces books to visitors at his free library in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

The library’s founder enthusiastically welcomes every visitor and assists them in choosing books to read.

Mia Bookhouse now has more than 1,000 English books and a small number of books in German that he has collected during his travel to more than 50 countries.

In addition, books in Vietnamese may also be found there.

“This library model has been cherished by my love for my little daughter Mia,” Trung said, adding that imbuing children with a habit of reading, especially in those under six, will help promote their development of language, creativity, and imagination.

With an aim to make it convenient for children, Trung designed his Mia Bookhouse uniquely, with box-shaped bookshelves and seats being the steps of the wooden staircase connecting the lower and upper parts of the library.

Young people read books at Mia Bookhouse, which offers books in diverse fields. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Young people read books at Mia Bookhouse, which offers free books in diverse fields, in Hanoi. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Trung went to Russia and Germany with his family during his childhood and he later visited many other countries.

His love for travel and his long working in the tourism sector have developed in him a habit of collecting English books from every country he visited.

“I especially love children and I pay special attention to learning foreign languages, so I want to create a space for everybody to naturally develop foreign language skills,” Trung shared.

The library is currently open every Saturday and Sunday morning.

It is staffed by teachers who can guide everybody in choice of books and can communicate in English with every visitor, creating a venue for everyone to use or practice their English skills.

Books for children here have been selected carefully to ensure they are attractive, interesting, and useful to them, Trung said, adding that he is directly involved in the selection.

English books for children are selected carefully to ensure they are attractive and useful to them. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

English books for children are selected carefully to ensure they are attractive and useful to them. Photo: Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Trung said he initially created this library to provide English books for children, but he later thought it may be extended to people of different ages.

He has therefore added to Mia Bookhouse a lot of books in various fields, such as literature, history, science, economics, and nature, to satisfy the diverse demands of every book enthusiasts.

The man has also collected many famous works that are hard to buy as they were published in limited quantities.

Trung has recently set up his second free library in the capital, on Nguy Nhu Kon Tum Street in Thanh Xuan District.

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Vinh Tho - Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre News

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