A total of 3,000 quick read books will be distributed across ferries, trains, buses and even taxis in Merseyside as part of a new joint initiative with Liverpool City of Readers and Merseytravel to give travellers access to free books, and promote public reading.
Moved to Read will see the titles Dead Man Talking by Roddy Doyle, Red for Revenge by Fanny Blake, Out of the Dark by Adele Geras, Pictures Or It Didn’t Happen by Sophie Hannah, Paris for One by Jojo Moyes and Street Cat Bob by James Bowen have all been donated through the National Literacy Trust.
To kick start the campaign, on Monday 19th October, the first wave of books will be given to commuters on Mersey Ferries, with further books being distributed at peak times throughout the week.
Following this, Moved to Read will be sharing books on bus routes from Monday 26th October with books being distributed at Liverpool One and Queen Square terminals.
In December Moved to Read will also be placing books in taxis to further expand the reach of the free books throughout Liverpool.
Dr Jane Davis, Director of City of Readers said:
“We’re incredibly excited to have this opportunity to partner with Merseytravel on this Moved to Read initiative in our ongoing campaign to make Liverpool the foremost reading city.
“We want to give people more opportunities to find the time to read whether it’s a daily commute, a shopping trip or a family day out – grab a book, enjoy, discuss and share.”
Councillor Lana Orr, Mayoral lead for City of Readers, said:
“Getting into the habit of reading when travelling to and from work is not just a great way to relax and learn, but also helps the time pass more quickly!
“This is all part of our drive to get more people reading for pleasure and make Liverpool the foremost reading city in the UK.”
Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel, said:
“Travelling around the transport network is a great opportunity to grab a book and switch off from your day and our partnership with Moved to Read will hopefully encourage more passengers to do just that.”