Mobile library delivers books, hope to remote villages in SW China's Yunnan

Volunteers carry books and supplies in backpacks to reach villages that are difficult to access by vehicle in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Daguan County)

In the villages of Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, a mobile library is helping to close the gap created by steep mountains that have long restricted access to education and public services.

Run by the Daguan County Library, the service brings books, digital resources and educational programs to remote villages scattered throughout the rugged Wumeng Mountains.

Volunteers carry books and supplies in backpacks to reach villages that are difficult to access by vehicle in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Daguan County)

The initiative began in 2016. At the time, poor road conditions meant volunteers had to hike for hours along narrow mountain paths, carrying books and supplies in backpacks to reach isolated communities.

"Many villagers couldn't leave the mountains, so we brought books to them," said Zhou Rongyan, director of the library, who has been closely involved in the program since its early days.

People read books in front of a mobile library in a Miao village in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhuang Zhibin)

In 2022, improved rural roads enabled the project to upgrade to a fleet of mobile library vans. Today, these vans travel regularly to over 90 villages across 10 towns and townships, delivering materials tailored to different age groups and literacy levels.

Over the past decade, the program has mobilized more than 380 volunteers from 22 departments across the county.

A volunteer reads a book for a child in a Miao village in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhuang Zhibin)

Volunteers carry books and supplies in backpacks to reach villages that are difficult to access by vehicle in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Daguan County)

People read books in front of a mobile library in a Miao village in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhuang Zhibin)

To expand access further, the library built a digital system allowing users to read and listen to books online. Volunteers also help residents — many of whom are unfamiliar with digital tools — learn how to navigate these resources.

The library goes far beyond delivering books. It runs various community programs, including parent-child activities, festival celebrations, and training in farming and livestock breeding, as well as basic legal education.

Zhou Xingbin, a villager born in the 1990s, is a clear example of the program's impact. After studying a practical guide to free-range chicken farming provided by the program and benefiting from hands-on support from visiting volunteers, he successfully turned poultry farming into a profitable business. His annual income has increased by more than 80,000 yuan ($11,700), and he has since become a local expert, helping his neighbors boost their own incomes.

Children read books brought by volunteers in a village in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Daguan County)