Department of Transportation

Mayor of Taipei City, Mr. Lung-Bin Hau, attended the press conference, “Taipei, Bus, Fun Reading” on December 3 today. He announced that the Taipei City Government is intending to create reading culture in the city so has launched the in-bus library service in the “World Library Week”, first ever both internationally and domestically. Organized by Taipei City Government, city citizens, bus companies and Taipei City Library, this service allows passengers to borrow any in-bus books, which they like to read, and return after finishing reading; no library card and administrative procedures required.
He further stressed that the new service is available today (December 3) in Bus Red 32 run by Capital Bus (Nankang to Taipei Bridge), Bus 205 run by Taipei Bus (China University of Science and Technology to Dongyuan) and Bus 1 run by Shin-Shin Bus (Huajiang to Songren Rd). No library card or administrative procedures are required for borrowing (returning) books from Bus Library. Citizens while getting on bus can borrow books on shelves home. Due to limited resources, each passenger is allowed to borrow one book so everyone can share this service. Books are to be returned to the shelves in buses, on the right side of which, you can see a sticker, “Taipei, Bus, Fun Reading”. You don’t need to go to a bookstore or library. Simply by taking a bus, you can borrow and return books. Where buses go, there go knowledge. It’s easy and free for every citizen.
Books available in this service are from public donations to libraries. The books are sent to bus dispatching stations. Staff at the stations and bus drivers then put these books onto shelves in buses. I would particularly like to thank staff and volunteers of the Taipei City Library who organize donated books. I also like to thank three bus companies, Capital Bus, Shin-Shin Bus and Taipei Bus to work in coordination with the government’s policy. They finished all preparative work within a short period of time. This will surely increase their workload including checking books and putting them on shelves etc. All citizens when you borrow books from buses, please say thank you to bus drivers.
Mr. Hau finally would like to remind passengers to hold the rail firmly while taking books or putting books back to shelves, and watch out not to affect others passing. Also do not read books in the bus because it will affect your eye sight. Please look after the books and do not damage, draw or writ comments on them. Do not put these books to recycle rubbish bins. If you like to donate books, please contact the Taipei City Library by dialing 02-2755-2823 (office hour). Any comments or feedback can be made by calling 1999 (02-2720-8889 outside Taipei City) or Bus complaint service line 02-2729-1181 (office hour). The Taipei City Government will review whether to expand the service based on public feedback. I hope every citizen to donate your books so we can continue to have the “Bus Library” service and have plenty books for all citizens.

2012-12-03