How Mobile Libraries in India Are Delivering Books to Children and Elderly Citizens

While not every village in India possesses a library, it doesn’t imply that stories are unable to reach those places. In areas with unreliable internet, underdeveloped schools, and a lack of bookstores, a new story is being crafted, quite literally.

Nationwide, books are taking to the highways (and occasionally the beaches) due to some inventive, touching concepts. From horseback to camel carts to vans filled with shelves, mobile libraries are accomplishing what Google cannot – delivering physical books into actual hands.

Uttarakhand’s Ghoda Library: Literature that gallops in

In the Uttarakhand hills, where narrow paths and challenging landscapes prevent most vehicles from passing, a young man discovered a traditional solution: horses. Shubham Badhani started the Ghoda Library with exactly that: a horse transporting bags filled with books to children in remote villages.

Rajasthan’s Camel Cart Library: Tales from the desert, brought to you.

In the arid areas of rural Rajasthan, where educational resources are frequently limited, a camel cart arrives carrying something unique – books. Adorned with balloons and colorful fabric, the cart moves between villages, transporting hundreds of storybooks and activity books for kids. It’s more than just reading — local volunteers share stories vocally, organize reading groups, and even engage parents to read alongside their children. It’s a large, dusty escapade without the screens.

Andhra Pradesh’s mobile libraries: A container brimming with marvels

In Anantapur, located in the southern region, the Rural Development Trust has adopted a more contemporary approach. The Books on Wheels van travels to villages weekly, featuring shelves and cushions inside where children can sit, read, and discover. Locally referred to as Sanchara Grandhalayam, this mobile library involves more than just reading materials.

These mobile libraries may not look fancy, but they’re doing something powerful, taking books to where they’re needed most. They’re run on kindness, passion, and a belief that every child deserves access to stories, ideas, and imagination.