A New Self-Check Out for an Old Tradition

As an avid reader, it is slightly shocking that I have made it three years without stepping inside the Boston Public Library. It's literally in the middle of a hub of activity-- next to Newbury, across from Copley, and beside Boylston! Not anymore, my friend! I am now a BPL library card holder.



The library is giant (4 floors) and the architecture is impressive. All I needed was a school ID and a proof of address and I had access to 1.2 million books in Boston. The best feature is the self-check out, like at the grocery store but for books! You scan your card, your book, drop it on the slot so that it can be "measured" (?), and then carry it out. A tech-savvy library?! Is this their way to keep up with the digital age? Offer new tech-gadgets with the old traditional smell of books or offer a new way to self-check out a self-help book.

Boston Public Library
Copley Square
Boston, MA
www.bpl.org