There are already over 150 book vending machines operating across the country. They generate thousands of loans every day. Nearly 40 of them are operated by the PROLIB system.

Just a few years ago, the library was a place you had to visit. Today, thanks to modern solutions, it comes to the reader. At a time when the pace of life is increasing and every minute counts, the combination of culture and technology is becoming not only a trend but a necessity. One of the best examples of such a combination is the book vending machine operated by the PROLIB library system.

Book-o-mat is an easy-to-use, self-service device that works like a ‘library parcel locker©’. It allows readers to collect or return books at any time, regardless of the library’s opening hours. For many users, it is this convenience and flexibility that has been the key to getting them back into reading. On the way home from work, between classes, on a Sunday evening – the book is waiting, ready to be picked up.

As statistics from libraries working in the PROLIB system show, readers are increasingly turning to this form of contact with books. Among them are predominantly professionally active people and younger adults for whom technology is part of everyday life. Interestingly, however, after the pandemic, there has also been a noticeable increase in the use of book vending machines by older people. Safe, contactless service has proven to be a solution that has overcome many fears and barriers.

Thanks to the integration of book vending machines with the PROLIB system, the library gains not only a modern tool, but also a new way of building relationships with residents. These devices can be placed in locations where access to culture has been limited until now – near schools, in housing estates, in shopping centres, and even in places where closed library branches used to operate.
It is there, in the everyday environment of residents, that the library regains its role as a local cultural centre. It becomes visible, present and inviting.

It is also worth mentioning the so-called 24/7 Libraries. A book vending machine can be placed anywhere, e.g. in shopping centres, railway stations, bus stops or university campuses. The idea behind it is similar to that of snack vending machines, as readers choose what they want at a given moment from the available selection. After reading, they can return the book to the book vending machine or to their library. These may be, for example, bestsellers from new releases or the most interesting items from the scientific literature required for their studies. The ‘24/7 Library’ also attracts the attention of passers-by with its interesting concept and design (the books are visible in the machine) and uses this moment to stimulate interest in reading.

One of the most important directions for the development of the PROLIB system is inclusiveness, which is why a new feature has been introduced in the book vending machines – the Easy Access Zone (SUD) – a solution that allows the ordered book to be placed in the lower part of the machine, no higher than 140 cm. This makes it convenient for elderly, short or disabled people to collect books.
It is a minor technical change, but one that has a huge impact on the user experience and on the perception of the library as an institution that is truly accessible to all.

Book vending machines are not just technology. They symbolise a new approach to culture – one that is open, flexible and tailored to the lives of residents.
In a world where more and more is happening ‘at your fingertips’, the library can also be at your fingertips – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It is solutions like these that bring local cultural institutions closer to people.