Bookworms in Singapore, it’s time to rejoice—instead of grabbing junk food out of a vending machine, you can feed your brain with beautiful words and valuable knowledge. BooksActually, a local independent bookstore, has recently installed two book-only vending machines at high-traffic areas of the Asian city-state. Located at the National Museum of Singapore and the Singapore Visitor Centre, they feature a curated selection of up to 150 texts with a special focus on community publishers and authors.
The unique appliances were inspired by Penguin Books’ Penguincubator, which was first introduced in London during the 1930s. For BooksActually, this ingenious concept serves a public that has a distinct lack of bookstores. “The whole idea is about accessibility and eyeballs,” its owner Kenny Leck explained to Channel News Asia. “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.” The enrichment also acts as unconventional marketing for the company.
A third machine will soon be installed at the Goodman Arts Centre, which doubles as Singapore’s headquarters for the National Arts Council.
