Astride his white mare, a wide-brimmed hat shielding his eyes, Ridwan Sururi looks more cowboy than librarian as he winds towards the hilltop village, his horse Luna saddled with books – a mobile library serving Indonesia’s remote readers. In Serang, enthusiastic youngsters flick through picture books, young adult titles and even some classics in English. Some shyly pet Luna while waiting their turn to browse. Sururi believes the gentle nature of his six-year-old mare helps attract children, and pique an early interest in the books. But it’s not just children discovering a love for reading via this charitable community library. Adults are almost just as enthusiastic, many pausing work and emerging from their homes as Sururi and Luna pass through the narrow lanes of one village. 17-year-old Warianti, perusing titles alongside her elderly mothers, said villagers of all ages benefited from Sururi’s visits, as most did not have time to source books elsewhere. “The horse library helps increase the knowledge of local women through reading,” she told AFP.