Halifax Public Libraries looking at vending machines to check out books

Peoplewho like the feel of a real bookand prefer to borrow it, but can never seem to get to the library when it's open may soon be able to get their hands on the next bestseller using a vending machine.

Halifax Public Librariesissued a tender Friday requesting bids from manufacturers or distributors for machines that can dispense books. Each should be able to hold 100 to 150 titles and be able to scan a library card.

Debbie LeBel, the director of access for Halifax Public Libraries,said the idea is to give library cardholders another convenient way to check out material.

"This is just something that a lot of libraries are doing because it is an opportunity that technology provides us with," she said.

The Ottawa Public Library has had two machines at the Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre since 2011. The centre is in a community without a library branch and about 11kilometresfrom Parliament Hill.

Those machines are used by about 600 people who check out almost 10,000 titlesa year.

Alexandra Yarrow, the Ottawa Public Library's manager of alternative services,said library patrons who use the centre for dance classes or other city-run programs for their children appreciate the convenience of the machines.

"Some of those people might visit a branch and some might not, so for us, it's a net win in that sense," she said.

"We're reaching an audience that otherwise may or may not visit one of our locations."

That's the thinking behind Halifax's desire to getthe machines.

"I think they're actually kinda interesting because they provide you with convenience ... These machines are going to be in a place you certainly wouldn't expect to see a library service,"saidLeBel,who has test driven a few models at trade shows.

Where would the machines go?

She said officials haven't decided where to put the machines,but it'slikely Halifax would follow the lead of other cities that havethem.

"Other libraries have put them in places like transit terminals or in hockey rinks or something like that," said Lebel.

"Sometimes they are in communities that have a branch and sometimes they are in areas that are further removed from an existing branch. The options are limitless."

LeBel said the machines wouldn't cause any job losses and would simply providean additional service.

Free museum passes?

The machines in Ottawa dispense more than just books and havesparked some interesting partnerships.

"We also stock museum passes in the machines, so we have partnerships with some of the big museums in the City of Ottawa that provide free family passes," said Yarrow.

"Those go like hotcakes."

Although Ottawa hasn't expanded its collection of book vending machines beyond theoriginal two, Halifax would like to startwith one or two and then have five by the third year.