Humanities Book and Media Club: Preserving and spreading the culture of reading.

All you need is a love of books to participate.

The Humanities Book and Media Club (abbreviated as the Book and Media Club of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi) was established at the end of 2014 with approximately 15 members, divided into three main committees: Content Committee, Events Committee, and Communications Committee. The committees' responsibilities are clearly defined: the Content Committee develops the content for monthly discussion sessions, the Events Committee organizes events, and the Communications Committee manages the fan page, posts articles, takes photos, and reports on club events. The club's partner is Nha Nam Culture and Media Company.

Operating on an "open" model, the club allows students to freely participate in discussions about their favorite books, and to opt out of a session if they cannot arrange their schedule.

The club's regular activities include organizing thematic sessions where members present and discuss a particular author or work. The selection criteria for authors are renowned names who have been awarded prestigious literary prizes such as the Nobel and Goncourt Prizes, as well as national literary awards. Before each session, the club consults with and assesses the reading preferences of students at the university, then works with Nha Nam Bookstore to determine if the book is truly appealing to readers before finalizing the selection for the discussion.

Speaking about how the club operates, Bui Thi Phuong Thao (Faculty of Literature), a member of the club's executive board, shared:Anyone confident in their knowledge and desire to express their views on the book can register to present during the month leading up to each club meeting. The club president is responsible for posting information about the author and the work on social media to promote the author and the work, as well as to spark interest in learning more about it. We usually seek feedback from our lecturers on this information to ensure accuracy.”

Key milestones

With the dedicated support of their teachers, the students also invited famous figures from the literary world to participate in these activities. One of them was writer Ta Duy Anh, known to many generations of students through his short story "The Farewell of the Dolls" from the 7th grade curriculum. Le Phan Quang Ninh (Journalism and Communication Faculty), a member of the club, proudly shared:"We had a really enjoyable conversation with him about his works. He even gave us books and signed them for us."

In addition, the club also invited Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thai, a Doctor of Art Studies, to participate in a talk titled "Discussing How to Read Books." She guided students on how to read effectively and how to choose good books that are relevant to their field of study and research. She also donated a book she wrote to the club, "Criticism of Artworks in the Press."

From March 23rd to April 23rd, the club, together with the Student Union and Student Council of the Faculty of Information and Library Science, organized the USSH Book Festival 2015 to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on April 23rd. At this event, students participated in exciting activities such as a week of films adapted from books, and the final round of the first-ever book presentation competition held at the University of Science and Technology.

Difficulties and perseverance

The club received praise from teachers at the school for maintaining regular activities throughout the year. Even though there were times when only 2-3 students attended, the members did not become discouraged or give up. Bui Bich Phuong, the club's leader and one of its first members, shared:"Generally, people think that book lovers are nerds, argumentative, and difficult to talk to... I myself used to find it hard to introduce a book I loved to others to find common ground, but thanks to the club, it has become much easier and more enjoyable. I really love the club and want to introduce it to more friends, not only to students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities or the Vietnam National University, but also to students from other universities who share the same love of reading."

Reading is important and necessary for students, especially those in the Faculty of Humanities. With the promise that the Humanities Book Fair will become an annual event and the plan to establish a Humanities book network and book tree, it is hoped that the Humanities Book and Media Club will have an even more successful new academic year. With the enthusiasm and passion of its members, the club will surely spread the love of books and reading culture to students both within and outside the university.

The club activities attract a large number of students to participate.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thai is sharing with the students of the club about reading methods.

A get-together between the Humanities Book and Media Club and other book clubs. During these events, members can share great books and make many new friends.

The final night of the Book Presentation Contest, part of the 2015 Humanities Book Fair series of events.

The Organizing Committee of the 2015 Humanities Book Fair

The Humanities Book Fair not only attracted the attention of students at the university, but also garnered interest from the media.

Bui Bich Phuong (Faculty of Journalism and Communication), Club President