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Borrowing books on the bus? It’s happening in Boston.
No library card needed.
If you’re looking for something to do other than doomscrolling social media while you wait for the bus in Boston, the city has another option for you — borrow a library book for your travels.
Mayor Michelle Wu announced a new pilot program on Thursday that will allow commuters at 20 MBTA bus stops across the city to access free digital content from the Boston Public Library. All riders have to do is scan a QR code, which will be in place on decals at the stops through the end of August, to browse the library’s collection of audiobooks, ebooks, e-newspapers, and e-magazines and borrow the material of their choice.
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The program “Browse, Borrow, Board” does not require a library card or downloading an app.
Riders will be able to check out up to five titles at a time for a two-week period, after which the QR code can be scanned again to re-register and borrow new materials.
According to the city, the primary goal of the new program is to introduce MBTA riders to the library’s offerings and make the resources more accessible and convenient.
“Our investment in our city’s public transit riders has taken a variety of forms, from eliminating fares for three crucial bus routes to expanding the bus lane network,” Wu said in a statement. “This pilot program builds on our efforts to make public transportation more enjoyable, while also connecting our residents to the resources the Boston Public Library already offers.”
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The MBTA-owned busways participating in the program include eight serving the fare-free routes in the city.
See a map of where the decals are located below:
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