If you’ve walked into the main library recently, you’ve probably noticed the Short Edition Short Story Dispenser right across from the main desk.
The dispenser was created in France and is fairly new to America.
There’s machines located at the Capital Region Airport, the Dairy Store and the East Lansing Public Library. The machines in the Lansing area are the first in Michigan.
“Theres a lot of public domain stuff classic poetry like Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost,” said Collections Librarian Michael Rodriguez. “Plus, there’s a lot of stuff that they’ve [the company] published.”
There’s also the potential to print local work, which is the goal for MSU.
“The ideas going forward to have MSU and local content so have students or staff or faculty upload their work, then we can publish it on these machines,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve been contacted by organizations like the MSU Archives, for instance, you know, they want to tell campus stories.”
Graduate assistant Manasi Mishra loves how simple and easy the machine is to use.
“I tried it out and I pressed like a one minute button and I got like a short poem,” said Mishra. “I was on my way out that time and I usually take the bus back home so I thought this would be something nice to read on the way.”
Mishra thinks it’s a great way to get people to read more.
“You usually come to the library to get a book and then you try to find time to read it,” Mishra said “This is just so practical. You have no excuse to not read it.”
For now, Rodriguez says this program is in its starting stage, but they hope to achieve the big goals they have for the machine.
“We’re really just realizing the potentials of where we can take this,” Rodriguez said.