You’ve probably all seen the Red Box DVD vending machines at your local grocery store. Well, some libraries have adapted this concept to create library vending machines. Each machine is stocked with the most popular books and DVDs for patrons to choose from, and the selections are frequently updated. These machines are placed outside popular stores or community centers to give the public quick and easy access to library materials. A patron inserts their library card into into the machine, chooses an item, and the item drops down for them to retrieve, just like a regular vending machine. Items “checked out” at the vending machines can be returned to drop boxes located next to the machines or to the library.
By bringing library materials to the patron, libraries are not just providing a convenience; they are also establishing a larger presence in the community. The library vending machine could be the new book mobile!