Coinciding with the 23rd National Book Week, annually held from November 11-18, intercity trains will be equipped with libraries.
According to a memorandum of cooperation signed between the Raja Rail Transportation Company and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, 500 books will be provided for each library unit, Mehr News Agency reported.
The plan will be launched in two passenger trains from Tehran to Tabriz and four on the Tehran-Mashhad track, said event secretary, Majid Gholami. “Due to the fact that intercity passengers on these trains are mostly university students, it will have a positive influence on reading culture.”
A middle coach in the trains will be earmarked for the library, in order to facilitate easy access for passengers. “Passengers will be able to borrow books by showing their ID cards. Their ID numbers will be registered and they will also be able to return the books to the libraries in other trains,” said Seyed Hassan Mousavinejad, CEO of Raja.
Noting the 400-passenger capacity of each intercity train, he added: “The number of books should suffice for at least 30% to 40% of the passengers.”
“Digital in-train libraries require less physical space and prevent exhaustion of books,” he said, adding that the officials are ready to establish e-libraries for passenger trains.
