I saw this white chalk scrawling–“LIFE IS FUN”–on a roll-up shutter guide outside the VFW Post on Third Avenue near the federal prison.
I detected a hint of sarcasm.
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Taipei Public Library’s FastBook Automatic Book Stop, a Robotic Book Lending System in Taiwan
Y took these photos of this cool automatic book lending machine that has a computer catalog and a robotic book retrieval system. With a Taipei Public Library card, a patron can walk up to this machine, browse the available titles, and checkout a book that is served immediately. It’s kind of like a miniature library outpost or a bookmobile with its wheels removed. It’s a vending machine for borrowing and returning books.
The books are stored individually on numbered racks within a carousel.
The FastBook machine pulls the book from its shelf and dispenses it through an orange chute to the right of the carousel. Books can be returned as well through a blue chute further to the right.
I can imagine how a less flashy version could be installed almost anywhere–something like a RedBox kiosk for books instead of DVDs and BluRays. Even in areas where many folks might not identify as readers, a device that makes books easy and freely available to borrow might encourage more reading. And, with it offering physical books instead of eBooks, it might help lower the bottom line of already financially strained libraries.
A Google search for “library book vending machines” turns up at least one scaled down option called the Lending Library Kiosk by International Library Services. D-Tech offers lendIT. Library Media Specialist Amanda Hunt offers some more details about library book vending machines here.
Baruch College, part of the City University of New York, has a book loan kiosk system installed.
JetBlue installed six free book vending machines around New York City in 2019 (I wonder if they still exist).
I don’t know about you, but I wish there had been something like this when I was a kid. The novelty of it would have encouraged me to read more books from the library than I did!
UPDATE: If you’re interested in why some of us find vending machines fascinating even over 100 years after their introduction, check out this Bored Panda listicle featuring Dr. Lisa Yaszek, Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
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Syntrend Creative Park in Taipei, Taiwan
Y sent me this photo of Syntrend Creative Park in Taipei, Taiwan. The whole complex is the funky, weird-ass building in the foreground and the highrise in the background.
It’s kind of like a more integrated version of Brooklyn’s Industry City + Microcenter area.
Syntrend has across its many floors shopping (computers, gaming, pop culture, toys, music, etc.) and dining experiences. It has maker spaces, co-working spaces, and event spaces. It’s definitely on my list of places to visit when I get a chance to go to Taiwan again!
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Green-Wood Cemetery Apiary
The wee bee that I shared yesterday likely lives in one of these beehives in the back lot apiary nestled in this grassy and overgrown corner of Green-Wood Cemetery. These bees are doing the work keeping the lush oasis going.
Thinking of bees, I recently read Sarah Kliff’s article in The New York Times (30 Apr. 2024) that points out that domesticated honey bees, which are not native to North America, are are not at danger of extinction as is sometimes shouted from the rooftops. Instead, they have sustained their numbers despite losses from colony collapse disorder, which has been a problem of domesticated honey bees since at least the late 1800s. However, less diverse habitats, insecticides, and disease can harm honey bee colonies and the success of honey bees can in turn harm native bee species according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
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Wee Bee on a Solar Cell
While I was admiring the solar-powered headstone in Green-Wood Cemetery, I saw this tiny bee checking out the solar cells on the memorial’s left side.
