Meet Antonio La Cava, the retired teacher driving a tiny three-wheeled library across Italy, bringing books to remote villages.
Meet the man who turned a small three-wheeled van into a powerhouse of books and imagination. Antonio La Cava, a retired teacher from the rural region of Basilicata in southern Italy, has spent decades driving his unique “library on wheels” through tiny, remote villages, delivering not only books but also hope, curiosity, and the joy of reading.
From Teacher to Road Scholar of Stories
La Cava spent 42 years as a primary school teacher in Basilicata before he retired. He came from a humble background himself; in one interview, he recalled, “When my mother turned off the only light bulb in the house, I, passionate about comic books, lit a candle that with its faint light comforted me.” That childhood memory of quiet reading by candlelight in a modest home stayed with him and later inspired one of his boldest initiatives.
In October 1999, he began visiting remote villages of Basilicata on weekends and holidays, bringing books to children living in communities so small and isolated that they had little access to libraries or bookstores. After his retirement, he transformed this mission into a full-time project.
A Vehicle, a Vision, a Van
Here’s one of the things that makes his story so enchanting: rather than choosing a large van or bus, La Cava adapted a tiny, humble Piaggio Ape (a three-wheeled van/scooter hybrid) into what he calls his “Bibliomotocarro,” literally: biblio + moto + carro. He chose this vehicle for three reasons: humility, simplicity, and the fact that its size could reach deep into narrow village roads.
Inside the little blue van, with its red roof and chimney decoration, rows of books are neatly arranged behind glass doors. Children know when it arrives: La Cava plays a small organ to announce his arrival in the village piazza, the music signaling that the special library has come. It’s like an ice cream van of education, and it’s iconic.
He carries around 700 books (typically) on board and travels through dozens of municipalities, even into the hills, making stops in villages of 1,000 people or fewer.
Why Him? Why Bibliomotocarro?
La Cava holds a simple but powerful belief: “Without a book, so often the child is alone.” He worried about “growing old in a country of non-readers.” In the digital era, especially amid socio-economic change, he saw how children in the more remote communities could easily slip away from reading. He wanted to give them that lifeline, a way to fall back in love with it.
For him, the van and the books aren’t just social or cultural gestures; they carry moral and ethical meaning. They represent the belief that culture is “made by and for everyone, not just a privileged few.”
The Impact of Bibliomotocarro
Over the years, La Cava’s little library on wheels has covered vast terrain. He has visited not only his home region of Basilicata but also municipalities in nearby Puglia and Campania. In one source, it was noted that he has travelled roughly 170,000 kilometers in his motocarro.
In each village he stops, children gather around, pick books, and sometimes participate in creative writing workshops that La Cava leads. He also carries blank exercise books and invites youngsters to write the first chapter of a story. Then he brings those notebooks to another village, where another group writes the second chapter. The cycle becomes collaborative, creating bridges between villages.
Remote villages in southern Italy can feel forgotten. Basilicata, for instance, has historically been among Italy’s poorer regions, facing depopulation and limited infrastructure in its hilltop and mountainous hamlets. Antonio knows this better than anyone. By taking a library on wheels into those places, La Cava is doing more than lending books; he is connecting kids to ideas, to each other, and to broader possibilities.
La Cava didn’t wait for funding or institutional backing. He transformed a humble van through his own vision. The choice of vehicle matters, it says: I am coming into your world, on your level. The colorful little van, decorated like a tiny house, tells children: This is for you. The music tells them: Stop what you’re doing, come out for a moment of wonder.
He remains hands-on: driving the routes, shelving books, and greeting children. His ethic is as much about presence as it is about books.
Lessons to Take
There are many lessons we can take from Antonio’s work. First and foremost, his story is an example of how small-scale projects can lead to a big impact. Too often, we as individuals feel we can’t do anything worthwhile, but La Cava proved otherwise.
He has demonstrated, clear as day, that culture is for everyone, no matter where you live or who you are. But, perhaps most key of all, he showed that adaptation is key. Culture is for everyone, but they might need help getting it. And that’s alright. We should help people in need of support when it comes to things like this, because reading is for everyone.
People Like Antonio La Cava
Antonio La Cava is a protector of the written word and a champion of literacy. His story is featured in Protectors of the Written Word alongside 24 others who have devoted their lives to sharing the joy of reading.
The book offers a collection of inspiring journeys from around the world, written as a love letter to everyone who believes in the power of books. You can order your copy here.
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Millie Ramm
Millie has been writing since she was a child, and has spent more time with her nose in books than anywhere else. She has been ghostwriting novels and editing for the past few years, and when not working she is curled up with her cats, looking for her next read.
