The prestigious New York Public Library near Bryant Park in Manhattan will release a new book delivery system on October 5, in order to replace the old one with an incredible innovation, as well as celebrate the re-opening of the Rose Reading Room, mixing the best of technology with the magic of books and reading.
Dubbed as the "book train," the system consist of 25 cars (ie. gray containers) where books are loaded, sources revealed. These "coaches" course through a miniature railway system and deliver the books to the reader, right where they are seated in the library. The incredible device will go live in a little bit less than 24 hours, being able to move books to the first floor and the Rose Reading Room.
Where Art and Technology Meet
"Our priorities include preserving our materials and making them increasingly accessible to the public in an inspiring space for research. Our recent storage expansion, our restoration of the Reading Room, and the installation of this system are all elements of that work," Matt Knutzen, NYPL Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Divisions, told Curbed NY.
Each of the containers can travel both vertically and horizontally, carrying up to 30 pounds of material, which could be the equivalent of four small books, ten pamphlets, or about three art books. They can also be tracked using electronic sensors and move at 75 feet per minute. The outstanding piece of technological art costs $2.6 million, according to Curbed NY.
The Pleasures of a Good Read
The book train promises to be a real delight for anyone who goes to the New York Public Library, since this is an endeavor that will improve one's entire reading experience, starting from facilitating a person's search of any book.
"It's a lot better, things don't get squished together and are much easier to find and track," said Carolyn Broomhead, the library's research community manager to The New York Times.
If you want to know how this incredible device works, then watch this amazing video.
