The promotion of this format helps lay the foundations and drive initiative in the global competition for knowledge. If digital transformation is considered a major driving force for the publishing industry, then e-books are its most important “gateway”.
Readers reject superficial products
According to the Viet Nam Publishers’ Association, in the first half of 2025, the proportion of electronic publications (by title) exceeded 15% of total publications, a key indicator of the sector’s progress in digitalisation.
Publishers and technology companies increasingly recognise the importance of e-publishing as an inseparable part of the publishing industry’s digital transformation.
In addition to pure e-books, many digital publications include audiobooks and interactive features (multimedia, images, sound) to appeal to young and older readers, as well as specific reader groups.
E-book development in 2025 has become a strategic part of promoting culture and knowledge. With digital books, people everywhere, even in remote and mountainous areas, can easily gain access via electronic devices. The provision of free or low-cost audiobooks and e-books marks an important step in ensuring fairness in access to knowledge.
E-books are also central to the strategy of building a learning society in flexible, diverse and personalised ways. At the same time, authors, translators and publishers have great opportunities to expand their brands.
A representative from the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution said that over 60% of domestic publishers have digitised their content, with many now beginning to use artificial intelligence for editing, personalising reading experiences, analysing reader demand and producing e-books.
The Truth National Political Publishing House is a prime example. Its launch of the “President Ho Chi Minh Digital Bookshelf” comprising 135 titles to mark the 135th anniversary of his birth, represent an important step in bringing Ho Chi Minh’s thought online.
Recently, the exhibition on national achievements over the past 80 years, held at the Viet Nam Exposition Centre in Dong Anh, Ha Noi, highlighted the distinctive role of e‑books and audiobooks. The digital reading experience space attracted large crowds, especially young people, demonstrating the appeal of this new reading trend in the technological era.
Through major events featuring digital books, profound changes can be observed in how readers approach knowledge. They no longer stop at simply reading but seek to experience, interact and co‑create.
At the exhibition, the moment when poet Tran Dang Khoa touched an e‑book and was moved by the sounds of ocean waves and images of distant islands left a deep impression on many visitors, exemplifying the persuasive combination of technology and emotion.
Poet Tran Dang Khoa remarked that young people now engage with books in highly flexible ways: reading, listening, and exploring extended content via QR codes. They do not view e‑books as mere replicas of printed works but as an open world of knowledge, inviting them to ‘live with’ the work in multiple dimensions.
The rising expectations of readers mean publishers must undertake comprehensive renewal. Beyond digitising their book collections, they must collaborate with engineers, designers, sound specialists and artists to create complete digital works. This requires investment, strict copyright mechanisms, and professional operations.
Opportunities for greater professionalism
While the world is entering a new generation of e‑books with technological breakthroughs, Viet Nam’s publishing industry still faces considerable gaps. In addition to technical issues, there are strategic challenges concerning creative capacity, infrastructure, market development, and the legal framework.
In developed countries, e‑books and audiobooks are rapidly shifting towards highly interactive models. Many applications integrate AI to analyse reading behaviour and offer personalised recommendations, enabling readers to enjoy experiences tailored to their interests and learning needs.
Despite early efforts, Viet Nam’s access to these global trends remains limited. The first challenge lies in restricted financial and technological resources, which are insufficient for the comprehensive development of AR/VR products or multi‑voice audiobooks.
Furthermore, internet infrastructure and devices are not yet universally available, particularly in disadvantaged regions. The legal framework on copyright, especially regarding voice cloning and AI‑based translation, is still incomplete.
At the same time, the domestic e‑book market remains small and fragmented, meaning payment levels for digital products are low, discouraging publishers and technology companies from making large investments. Moreover, human resources in digital content creation, programming and interactive design remain underdeveloped.
Nguyen Nguyen, Director of the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution, stated: “To achieve results, we must answer clearly: What is the purpose of digital transformation? What value do publishers gain from it? Otherwise, it is easy to fall into the trap of merely changing form and chasing superficial products. In reality, digital transformation needs to target new markets. This is a challenge we have been addressing for years but not yet thoroughly. Sometimes figures suggest growth, but the difficulties ahead remain immense.”
In this year’s key orientations and tasks, the department proposed that publishers increase investment in modern infrastructure, technology and human resources to make e‑publishing a spearhead of development. Other solutions include improving the legal framework; building and enhancing digital infrastructure from central to local levels; developing shared databases; establishing a national database on publishing, printing and distribution; and promoting the application of big data and AI.
To narrow the gap in integration and development, the domestic publishing sector needs a long‑term strategy synchronising management, operations and creativity. Greater focus is required on training digital human resources in publishing, improving the legal framework on digital copyright, authors’ rights and voice actors’ rights, thereby creating a transparent environment that encourages investment.
According to experts, each publisher needs to identify priority areas for experimentation, cater to reader groups most open to innovation, and align with the national strategy of enhancing public knowledge.
The development of e‑books, gradually integrating with international trends, is an essential part of building a new Vietnamese person, rich in knowledge, resilient and capable of mastering technology. This is an urgent task, helping to ensure that the reading culture continues to serve as a solid foundation for national development in the digital era.
