“Originally, I just came to join the fun, but I ended up with The Cloud Record, a book I had wanted to read but never found. It was such a surprise! The blind box format really appeals to us. It not only solves the dilemma of choosing books but also adds a strong sense of ritual to the act of borrowing. I’ll definitely come back to the library to ‘hunt for treasures’ again,” said Wang, an undergraduate student from the Class of 2024 at the School of Future Technology, after opening a mystery box.

The week of April 20th to 26th marks the first National Reading Week. To further implement the Regulations on Promoting Universal Reading and enrich campus culture, the university library, in collaboration with the VIP Database, launched a themed event titled “Spring Reading Begins: Mystery Book Boxes, Unexpected Encounters” on April 20th. Moving beyond conventional reading promotions, the event offered an immersive experience that blended fun with literary engagement, drawing a large crowd and becoming one of the most popular cultural highlights on campus that day.

At the event, readers eagerly lined up with their campus cards to receive their mystery boxes, their eyes brimming with curiosity and anticipation for the unknown titles inside. Librarians had carefully prepared the boxes in advance, filling them with a wide range of high-quality books from the library’s collection, including literary fiction, works in the humanities and social sciences, and classic titles. Each box also included a customized notebook, enhancing the joy of unboxing and the sense of ritual associated with reading, and effectively easing the “difficulty of choosing books.” After opening the boxes, participants quickly completed the borrowing process, and amid laughter and excitement, a quiet reading atmosphere spread through the crowd.

This engaging mystery box activity gave students unexpected reading experiences, and many shared their impressions on the spot. Chen, a student in the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering’s Class of 2025, said, “I used to have no idea what to choose when I went to the library. This mystery box activity gave me an unexpected gain. I received a book in the humanities and social sciences, which introduced me to fields I rarely paid attention to. I hope the library will organize more activities like this in the future.”

As the first signature event of the National Reading Week, the mystery box borrowing initiative broke from the routine model of traditional borrowing by integrating the appeal of “mystery box culture” with the value of reading. By adopting a format favored by young people, it successfully sparked enthusiasm for reading. It promoted the idea of “reading widely, reading good books, and reading effectively” in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere, further fostering a culture-rich campus environment.

According to the library administration, during the National Reading Week, the university will roll out a series of diverse, content-rich reading promotion activities, including a classic recitation performance competition, themed film screenings, on-site database demonstrations, digital book exhibitions, book recommendation campaigns, creative workshops, and a 21-day AI-themed reading challenge. These initiatives aim to continuously improve reading environments and service quality, allowing the culture of reading to permeate every corner of campus and encouraging students and faculty to make reading a lasting and popular part of daily life.