Readable “Red Envelope” in Huizhou Library: A Low-Cost Digital Reading Promotion Practice Connecting Tradition with Community Memory

Abstract

Public libraries are increasingly expected to expand digital services while preserving local culture and engaging communities. However, small and medium-sized libraries often face financial and technical constraints that limit large-scale digital transformation.

This paper presents Huizhou Library’s Digital Book Lai See initiative as a case study of a lightweight digital approach. Using the WeChat Mini Program, the initiative reimagines the traditional Chinese New Year red envelope by distributing digital envelopes containing preselected e-books, festive greetings, and Huizhou intangible cultural heritage e-cards, encouraging users to collect and share them during the CNY. Since its launch in 2024, more than 160,000 digital book envelopes have been distributed. The case demonstrates how culturally familiar traditions can be adapted through accessible digital technologies to promote reading, strengthen community memory, and preserve local cultural heritage, offering a low-cost and replicable model for digital transformation in resource-constrained public libraries.