The article deals with the little-investigated questions of the history of ‘knigonoshestvo’ in Russia. At the example of ofeni activities there is shown the degree of the need for books in the rural area. There is analyzed the Lubok literature, the main book goods of pedlars. There are identified the reasons of downturn of ofeni trade in the late XIX-th - early XX-th century and the value of bookleggers in distribution of literacy and introduction of peasants to the reading.