Waiting for public transport shouldn't be the norm but guaranteeing a punctual service in a metropolis can be difficult. In the hope that in the near future the waiting times can be reduced to the bone, in the meantime why not allow citizens to make the most of that time, preventing it from becoming "lost".
This is how the project was born eL.OV. + Travel + Read. What it involves is the formation of a real free digital library a Roma. Everything is already reality, with ben 18 thousand access points already installed along the Atac network.
Digital library on the go
The service offered to citizens and tourists includes the download hundreds of ebooks free of charge. While waiting for the bus, tram or metro to show up, why not give yourself to reading. All in digital version. The library does not include only written texts. In fact, it is also possible to opt for an audiobook. A way to let yourself be lulled by the voice of others, so as to better immerse yourself in the world narrated by the text. An alternative which is also fundamental for the blind. To this is added, finally, the possibility of listening to a list of music tracks.
New technologies relaunch the concept of bookstore, which adapts to modern times and follows the citizen around the city. Books are really everywhere, they are online. Atac has developed the + Viaggi + Leggi project, collaborating with Forum del Libro, Libraries of Rome, the Liber Liber Association and Clear Channel Italia.
Digital library, details
Why not take advantage of your smartphone or tablet at the bus stop for something other than constantly checking your social networks? Rome offers a completely free alternative, with more than 18 thousand titles offered online, available for download via QRCode. There is no limit on the amount of books to download. Indeed, the system pushes readers to take as many books as possible, considering how will be available for a total of six months. At the end of this period the list will be updated.
A first experiment was carried out in February 2021, limiting the area of action to the Tor Bella Monaca district only. Slowly the project expanded, involving the entire Capitoline public transport network. Culture must be accessible and available to all, and this is proof of this.
The list of books
The choice of books to read is very wide, offering titles for all tastes and ages. Here are the category:
- Italian literature
- classics from around the world
- classics for boys
- section dedicated to women's writing
- poetry
- ,
- audiobooks
- symphonic and chamber music
- art and travel essays
There are also two special sections. The first is "Travel books". In this case it was decided to collect quick-reading texts, with times that correspond to those of an average journey on the metro and bus.
The second is "Books in language”, Which turns its gaze to foreign communities, which are increasingly numerous in Rome. The texts proposed are in English, French, Spanish, Bengali and Romanian, languages chosen after the analysis of the distribution of the numerous non-Italian subscribers.
