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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Books This Book Vending Machine Is the Best Thing on the Internet This Week

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 8:07 AM

Here (sorry for the Vimeo) is video of a random book vending machine installed in the Monkey's Paw bookshop in Toronto:

The BIBLIO-MAT from Craig Small on Vimeo.

I would lose so much money to one of these machines if someone in Seattle made one. (Incidentally, I was surprised to note that I have read one of the books in this video: Lawrence Welk's autobiography, Wunnerful, Wunnerful! I was turned on to Welk's particular blend of literary insanity by Lisa Carver's book Dancing Queen, and it really lived up her hype. If you're looking for a bizarre celebrity memoir, it doesn't get much better than Welk's books, which espouse the glory of naps and rail against America's unfair child labor laws.)

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Sorry for the Vimeo? What? Why? Vimeo is fucking amazing.

Posted by Andy_Squirrel on November 21, 2012 at 3:36 PM

@1 It disappeared after the Armory remodel.

Posted by Wheedle on November 21, 2012 at 1:08 PM

I need to read that Welk bio ASAP. He's such a weird character. I've always wanted to visit his birthplace, which is a museum on the old Welk farmstead in North Dakota, complete with Champagne Music coming down from the treetops. I'd love to see and hear that. I hope there's wax figures!

Posted by Fnarf

on November 21, 2012 at 11:27 AM

@2: The video is not of a POD machine. It's of a vending machine that dispenses "old and unusual" books. The buyer doesn't know what book they'll be getting.

Posted by stinkbug on November 21, 2012 at 9:53 AM

I can't see the video at work, but have you Third Place Books has had a print-on-demand book machine for a few years.

Posted by Matt the Engineer on November 21, 2012 at 8:27 AM

I've always been confused by the vending machine in the Center House,* which includes paperbacks as well as a variety of other non-snack food items. Apparently this is how you do it right!

*Not sure if it made the transition to the "Armory," or whatever it's called now. I hope so.

Posted by PhilipTheSnowman