Shanghai chauffeur borrows 2,846 library books in 2013

A chauffeur who has been named the top borrower of books from the Shanghai Library for two years in a row said he reads voraciously to kill time when waiting for his boss, Shanghai Morning Post reported Monday.

The chauffeur, whose name was not given, borrowed 2,846 books last year. That works out to an average of eight books a day. He was also named the reading champion of 2012, library officials said.

The chauffeur said he reads fast and had time to read the books because he is required to wait in the car for his boss for a long time. He usually visits two library branches a day.

In general, the most borrowed books for the year were in the categories of literature, medicine and health, according to the library. Popular books include the Chinese version of the biography "Steve Jobs," "A Bite of China" and books that teach seniors how to remain healthy.

Shanghai Library now has 1.92 million readers with valid library cards. As of Friday, the library will allow readers with a library card to borrow up to 10 books at a time, up from four books, to satisfy more bookworms.