Ningbo brightens reading literacy in rural areas

A reading-themed event is launched in a rural reading park in Dongwu town, Ningbo. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Many parents cannot afford the luxury of raising their children with schooling in rural areas. These families rely on the farm they stand on in the hills outside Ningbo. For children keen to learn, the nearest bookstore and library is half a day's journey with the help of a bicycle, but the sweltering heat, humidity, and gravel roads make the bicycle ride unbearable. The long-distance demand that was once a disadvantage is now a thing of the past. With the support of municipal legislation and policy, a rural reading park was open to the public in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on Oct 31, signaling the start of the city's reading-themed event.

The park, located in Tiantong Old Street Scenic Spot in Dongwu town, is the first of its kind in Ningbo and was listed among Zhejiang's 100 "Rural Study" models. With the main facility – a branch of Xinhua Bookstore covering an area of 735 square meters, it serves as a combination of a bookstore, library, and cultural agency. 

"We want to ignite the passion of reading in rural areas by integrating nature and culture together," said an official from Ningbo Xinhua Bookstore Group.

The park launch is part of an annual reading-themed event the city holds to promote reading among local residents. More than 100 reading activities will be held during the event at Xinhua bookstores, libraries, and public reading spaces across the city. 

According to the local authorities, this year's event focuses on rural reading. Various activities, such as reading salons, forums, and lectures, will be held in rural studies. A group of writers will also be appointed to different rural studies to help promote rural vitalization.

In the first half of this year, 108 model rural studies were constructed and approved by the Publicity Department of the CPC Ningbo Committee. And 150 are expected to be built this year.