Chicago commuters will soon find the city's famous L-train converted into a mobile library, thanks to the Books on the L program from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The idea is simple: read on your commute, and leave the book behind for the next rider to enjoy. According to official announcements, L-train passengers will find bestickered books from a variety of authors available in their seats beginning October 12. However, the event's hashtag is already blowing up, suggesting that the CTA's program might have gotten an early start.
Books on the L is part of Chicago Ideas Week (CIW), a largely affordable conference celebrating innovation, local businesses, and surprise dinner parties — the best kind of parties — in the Midwestern hub. Many of this year's CIW speakers — including Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Martine Rothblatt — have books waiting for train passengers to enjoy. Laura Vanderkam and Kate Bornstein will also be speaking at CIW, but it's unclear whether their books will be part of the CTA's program. Other notable speakers include DeRay Mckesson, Martha Stewart, and Crissle West.
Although it doesn't offer free public transport for book-lovers, Books on the L has generated plenty of excitement on social media. Armed with the #BooksOnTheL hashtag, book nerds have taken to Twitter and Instagram to document their L-train library finds and celebrate reading on public transportation. Here are a few of the best tweets.
Image: emdem027/Instagram
