Egyptian "Taxi of Knowledge" spreads the love of books and good conversation

A cool book promotion idea comes to us from Cairo, Egypt where Alef Bookstores has launched the "Taxi of Knowledge" initiative.

Alef Bookstores mission is to "instill the light of knowledge and learning that once upon a time made great Arab thinkers the pillars of modern civilization in each and every individual who walks through our doors" - an objective that now extends to the passengers in over 200 Cairo taxis.

The concept is simple but elegant. The bookstore lends taxi drivers five books to place in their car for free, which can be exchanged for other titles at any time. The books are donated by friends, authors and volunteers with the aim of encouraging both the drivers and passengers to read. To date, over 10,000 books have been collected covering a wide range of tastes to suit both drivers and passengers.

Taxi driver Mohamad Saber thinks it's "a fantastic idea" which has "allowed me to engage in discussions with my passengers that aren't necessarily personal but carry meaning. At night I am also able to read the books myself and share them with my family."

By the end of this year, Alef Bookstores anticipate that books will be in over 2000 cabs. "The feedback we get has been very encouraging," says Wael Ibrahim, Alef PR manager. "The drivers feel empowered as they offer a new, free service to their passengers; and the passengers enjoy being able to relate to the drivers in a new way."

Currently, the project is restricted to mostly privately owned cabs in Cairo, but Alef have hopes that the program will eventually reach across Egypt's approximate 30,000 cabs, boosting reading exponentially and "hopefully shifting cultural attitudes toward books among middle class Egyptians."

More about the "Taxi of Knowledge" initiative at almasryalyoum.com