A Ride for the Mind: Erbil Cabbie Inspires with Mobile Library
An Erbil taxi driver and fine arts graduate has turned his car into a mobile library, offering passengers novels and poetry to read during their rides in a unique effort to promote culture and serve the community.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a city where traffic can often mean time spent waiting, one Erbil taxi driver is turning idle minutes into moments of literary discovery. Shapol Hoshang, a 27-year-old fine arts graduate, has transformed his vehicle into a rolling library, offering passengers not just a ride to their destination, but a journey through the pages of novels and poetry.
Shapol Hoshang told Kurdistan24's website on Monday that after graduating from the Music Department at the College of Fine Arts, Salahaddin University, he became a taxi driver. The idea for his unique service was simple at first. "Initially, the idea came to me to place a single book in my car," he explained.
That single book quickly blossomed into a small, curated collection.
The initiative was met with immediate and widespread praise from his customers. "After that, many people praised me, especially the passengers," Hoshang added. The engagement has since become a two-way street, with riders not only enjoying the books but also suggesting new titles for his mobile collection.
The curated selection in his taxi consists mostly of literary works, such as novels and poetry, which he says are the most popular genres among his passengers.
Believing in the power of small acts to create larger change, Hoshang now calls on his fellow taxi drivers to consider offering similar ideas to their passengers.
He believes that in this way, they can contribute, according to their ability, to serving the community and advancing it in terms of awareness and culture.
A Novel Approach to Community Service
Shapol Hoshang’s initiative is more than just a heartwarming story; it represents a powerful grassroots response to several contemporary social and economic realities. Like many university graduates in the Kurdistan Region, Hoshang's career path reflects the challenge of finding employment in one's specific field of study. However, instead of abandoning his passion for the arts, he has ingeniously woven it into his daily work, demonstrating remarkable creativity and civic-mindedness.
His "rolling library" brilliantly transforms the mundane taxi ride—a transient "third space"—into an unexpected cultural hub.
In an era dominated by the digital distraction of smartphone screens, Hoshang’s project subtly champions the tangible and reflective experience of reading a physical book. It’s a quiet act of defiance against digital saturation and a vote of confidence in the enduring power of literature.
Furthermore, the act of encouraging passenger suggestions fosters a unique, interactive community. It elevates a simple commercial transaction into a shared cultural exchange, empowering citizens to participate directly in promoting literacy and intellectual curiosity.
Ultimately, Hoshang’s mobile library is a profound statement on civic responsibility.
It illustrates the powerful idea that anyone, regardless of their profession, can contribute meaningfully to the intellectual and cultural vibrancy of their society. It is a testament to individual creativity and a genuine service to the very community he navigates every day.
Kurdistan24's Correspondent Shorsh Harki contributed to this report.
