More Cambodians read

Reading among Cambodians, especially students, is becoming more and more popular. And in fact, one particular library in Phnom Penh receives up to seven hundred readers a day.

University students read in a library within the compound of
Royal University of Phnom Penh. Photo: CNC

The library allows people to come and choose books to help with their studies – or even to read for pleasure as a hobby.  

STORY: Learning in classes alone might not be enough.

Students may need to spend some more time reading and doing research in libraries.

It seems that now more and more people are going to libraries to read and research.

They wish to fulfill their need for new knowledge.

According to a librarian at the library within the Royal University of Phnom Penh, between five and seven hundred people come to the library everyday to read books.

“It looks like a school library but in fact, it’s a public one. Library users come from all walks of life. On average, there are between five and six hundred readers. And some days, there are up to seven hundreds.”

Readers at the library say they want to further improve their knowledge.

“In classrooms, we learn only some parts of the lessons. We don’t actually know much about outside world. When we come to read and do the research here, we will know more about what is happening around us, including development and economy,” says a female reader.  

Another female user of the library says, “I think that reading in the library has improved my knowledge. I can understand more about the things I have never learnt in classes. It’s very beneficial to us.”

Recently, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen also called on people to read more to improve their knowledge.

Source: CNC. Rewritten in English for the ‘This Is Cambodia’ program by Chea Makara