If you are a frequent visitor to Nairobi streets, then you have come across book vendors. Nairobi street book vendors are strategically placed in the city, specifically outside shopping malls, supermarkets, or banks.
As such, what role do they play in enhancing literacy levels and promoting a reading culture in the country? Let us find out.
Nairobi Street book vendors make books accessible to those who love reading. Prices are a significant factor in determining book-buying trends in Nairobi. Sometimes new books are expensive, but Nairobi street book vendors sell at very affordable rates, making books accessible to anyone who wants to read.
The burgeoning reading culture in the city is driving Nairobi Street book vendors to outsource books from those who import them in bulk. Some vendors also import their books directly from the U.S., making them accessible to the masses.
Comparatively, Nairobi Street book vendors sell their books at very affordable rates compared to libraries and other book outlets. In the streets, you will find books from notable authors selling at 100 KSh (about $1). Since almost everyone in Nairobi is seemingly always in a hurry, Nairobi Street book vendors present a chance for a quick book search and eventual purchase, thanks to the price tag.
Nairobi Street book vendors do not sell one specific book genre but an assorted collection. From cookbooks, novels, hardcovers, and everything else, Nairobi Street book vendors are a one-stop shop for bibliophiles who want to keep their reading culture alive. Instead of spending more money on getting new books from any bookstore in the city, Nairobi readers get whatever book they want from the streets at any time of the day.
Thanks to the emergence of Nairobi Street book vendors, the reading culture in Nairobi is changing very fast. People have embraced book reading and are more open to exploring various topics. More importantly, it is easy to find your favorite book, albeit pre-owned, making all the difference necessary to embrace leisure reading.
There is no denying that Nairobi Street book vendors are contributing, in a way, to raising literacy levels and reading culture across the country.
