Underground New York Public Library Is Keeping Books Cool

In recent years, you're more likely to see the backs of your fellow commuters iPads and Kindles than the cover of the book they're reading. One blogger is seeking to preserve the subculture of underground book reading, by documenting her journey on her blog, Underground New York Public Library.

Using a Canon D5 Mark II camera, this blogger has been shooting subway readers (no digital readers appear on the site) since 2008. She doesn't ask readers to pose for the photos, just snapping them as she sees a person or a book that interests her.

When she posts the photo on her blog or her Facebook page, she includes the title and author of the book as well as a link to where you can purchase the book.

There's no word on whether the blogger makes special trips underground to take pictures or if the photos are just from her normal travels, but either way, Underground Public Library is bringing back a classic way to get book recommendations from other subway riders-- something many of us have missed since the iPad stole our hearts.

[Photos via]