Singapore Has Installed Their First Book Vending Machine And I’m Going There RIGHT NOW!

Not all machines are bad. Some technology is required for the betterment of humans, and people welcome it with open arms as well. Like these book vending machines which just went live in Singapore.

Yes, you read that right. Singapore has the world’s first vending machines which actually sell books. Each vending machine consists around 150 books, and one also contains some DVDs.

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According to the Facebook page of Singapore bookstore BooksActually, three machines are expected to go live, two of which are already under operation, albeit with minor glitches.

 

One vending machine is present outside the National Museum of Singapore, and the other is outside the Singapore Visitor Centre. The third one will be put up outside the Goodman Arts Centre later this month.

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The vending machines are an initiative by the bookstore to promote reading as well as local authors and publishers. BooksActually owner Kenny Leck commented,

“The whole idea is about accessibility and eyeballs.”

 

Mr. Leck said that his primary reason is not to earn more, but to be a visual treat, a sort of landmark in the streets in Singapore.

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Speaking on the idea of his book vending machines, Mr. Leck said he got the inspiration from Penguin’s own Penguincubator. Adding further, he says,

“There are not enough bookstores in Singapore, so we’ve previously also distributed (our books) to places such as (retail stores) Cat Socrates and Naiise’s pop-up stores. You have a different sort of demographic in these places. These vending machines could be a visual touchpoint. You may not buy (a book) but we’ll let you know these exist. And from there, there could be more possibilities. We start with visual awareness: Books where you see a local author’s name.”

 

Operation of the vending machine is simple, like other vending machines. Enter cash, select book, pick it up from the dispenser. Cashless transactions are expected to be installed in the future.

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Here are some other pictures from the first two installed machines.

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Now I can’t wait to go to Singapore. MOOOOMMMM!?


News source: Channel NewsAsia
Images and cover image source: BooksActually (Website | Facebook)

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