Want to know what a library created by Apple might look like?
A public library in San Antonio, called BiblioTech, has become the U.S.’s first bookless public library — letting patrons check out five e-books at a time either on their home devices, or using the tablets or one of the 48 iMac computers featured in the Apple Store-inspired library.
Within a year, Wolff (who is in his seventies) managed to launch the library in poor part of San Antonio with limited Internet service. Initially there were 10,000 e-books available — which has since increased to 20,000.
Wolff says that he hopes to bolster the collection with an addition 10,000 e-books every month.
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
One response to “San Antonio’s Bookless Public Library Takes A Page Out Of Apple’s Playbook”
I wonder what they are using to manage the checkin/checkout of ebooks? We recently explored the idea of loaning out ebooks/iBooks to our employees and maintaining a similar virtual library. Apple recently introduced better control over apps with their VPP program but the same control doesn’t roll down to iBooks yet.