Greenlink and representatives from the Greenville Literacy Association and M. Judson Booksellers recently unveiled a new Free Little Library inside the Greenlink Transit Center.
The Free Little Library will provide Greenlink customers, their family members and the general public with access to free reading material.
While children are frequently encouraged to read and many programs are designed to increase literacy levels among youth, adults do not receive the same reminders. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey, 27% of adults reported that they had not read a book, in whole or in part, in the past year.
Considering that 10 of Greenlink’s bus routes connect in the Transit Center 17 times each day, bus riders transferring between routes will now have 17 opportunities to browse the library’s collection and pick up a book for the trip. In 2019, the average passenger bus trip was 5.3 miles long (approximately a third of an entire route length), which could provide up to 15 minutes of reading time on each bus.
Studies show that reading as an adult can have the following benefits:
- Reading can help reduce stress. A 2009 study conducted at the University of Sussex found that reading reduced stress levels by 68%. The study also demonstrated that after reading for only six minutes, readers’ heart rates began to lower, and their muscles began to relax. This means that customers waiting for a bus, even with just a few minutes to spare, could grab a book and help reduce their daily stress.
- Reading can help keep your mind active as you age. Many studies show a correlation between reading and dementia prevention, as reading books and magazines can help maintain and improve cognitive functioning. A 2017 Greenlink customer demographic study showed that 33% of respondents were over the age of 55, so picking up a book between bus rides could help customers ward off dementia.
- Reading can help you empathize. In a time marked by isolation, stress and high emotions, it is helpful to be reminded to feel empathy for one another. Studies published in Science and Public Library of Science journals in 2013 showed that literary fiction can enhance the ability to build social relationships and influence empathy, meaning that reading a novel could help Greenlink riders better relate to their neighbors.
Visit the City of Greenville website for additional information.