Free books turn Manchester commutes into reading time
Passengers across Greater Manchester found 8,000 free books on trams and at bus interchanges on 9 October, turning an everyday journey into a chance to read.
Read Manchester and Transport for Greater Manchester placed 6,000 books on tram seats before services left their depots. Greater Manchester Libraries handed out another 2,000 at bus interchanges. Readers could take a book home or leave it for someone else.
The selection ranged from The Gruffalo and The Beano to crime novels, offering something for different ages and tastes. It supported the National Literacy Trust’s Take 10 to Read campaign, which encourages a short daily pause with something enjoyable, including comics, recipes or articles.
The giveaway shows how books can reach people outside a library. It does not establish how many recipients read them, or whether their mental wellbeing improved.
Still, putting a free book where someone is already travelling removes both a cost and a special trip. For passengers who picked one up, their next reading break could begin on the way home.
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