How can people be made to read? Especially the younger ones too? In the Swedish city of Gothenburg two book buses have been on the road for some time, which are supposed to bring books, newspapers and magazines as well as many other media to the people. There are buses like this in many cities, including Germany. The special thing about the two vehicles in Gothenburg is that they are among the few book buses in the world that are already fully electric. This means that the drivers can also steer the buses in zero-emission zones such as downtown Gothenburg, but also to shopping centers or other indoor places, for example.
On the outside, one of the buses is covered with fairytale forest motifs, the second is somewhat reminiscent of a submarine or a spaceship. Inside there are numerous shelves with media to be borrowed, as well as several sitting areas that invite you to immerse yourself in a book on the spot. The vehicles are charged overnight; The manufacturer Volvo, with whom the city has signed a comprehensive maintenance contract, takes care of cleaning, maintenance and repairs. In the industry magazine Regional traffic Anette Eliasson, director of the Gothenburg libraries, was recently quoted as saying: “It is important for us to be able to trust that the buses will always work.” This means that the library administration can “dedicate itself to what we can do best – library work”.
A look into the interior of the new book bus.
(Photo: Volvo Buses)
As a rule, the two buses visit several of the slightly more than 100 preschools in the mornings, and in the afternoons and evenings they make stops at around 70 bus stops across the city in the various parts of the city. “Not all families live near a library building,” says Anette Eliasson. “With the new concept we can invite more families into the fairy tale world that stimulates imagination, language and reading.” For children in particular, access to literature “and thus the opportunity to read for oneself is one of the most important factors in going to school and beyond,” she says.