SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/BCN) — Looking for something to read on BART? The transit agency has installed dispensers at the Richmond, Fruitvale and Pleasant Hill stations that spit out short stories for free.

The Pleasant Hill BART station is one of three stations with a new short-story dispenser offering free printed reading material to passengers. (Dan Brekke/KQED)

These days, most BART riders spend their travel time staring at their phones—and understandably so. In an increasingly digitized world accelerated by the isolation of the pandemic, our lives have migrated almost entirely online. But now, BART riders are able to use touchless Short Story Dispensers to receive free one-, three- and five-minute reads at Richmond, Fruitvale, and Pleasant Hill Stations, with another one coming soon to Montgomery Street Station. Local writers will have the chance to have their work published and distributed as part of the project after the one-year pilot, sponsored by the BART Communications Department and Art Program, is up and running.

BART installed a short story dispenser at four stations. This image shows the one installed at Pleasanton Station. (Photo courtesy of BART).

BART has installed Short Story Dispensers at some of its stations, including the Richmond station. The touchless dispensers print out short stories for riders to read — for free. The stories are short reads, roughly one to three to five minutes long, and are printed on recyclable receipt paper, according to BART.

The Short Story Dispenser’s touchless interface. (Photo: Jessie McKenna)

Beacon Hill’s The Station coffee shop has long been a hub of community activity and advocacy, hosting everything from meetings to artwork to a free pantry. Now it’s home to Washington State’s first Short Story Dispenser, courtesy of the Seattle Public Library (SPL) and French publisher Short Édition.

È a Torino il primo centro commerciale nel mondo che vende solo oggetti e servizi ecosostenibili (Photo Claudia Giraud)

[...] "una zona relax sul tetto dell’edificio per massimo 2mila soci che potranno godersi la piscina panoramica con vista sul Monviso (oltre alla SPA e a un cocktail bar) e provare l’iconico Dispenser per racconti brevi della casa editrice francese Short Edition che racconta: “quattro distributori all’aperto di racconti brevi consegneranno la letteratura scritta dai nostri scrittori in tutto il mondo, quelli della Scuola Holden, i membri della Green Pea e la saggezza dei filosofi classici, Pericle, Socrate, Platone e Aristotele, premendo un pulsante”."

This new creative opportunity comes from the French company Short Edition, creator of the Short Story Dispenser.

To become a writer, you simply need to write, but becoming published is a whole different story. Philly Storied City is giving Philadelphians the opportunity to do just that. A new and free local initiative recently opened submissions for a project that is meant to promote creativity for all and also offer a way for writers to gain a larger audience.

A short story dispenser at WaterPark Place lets users choose how many minutes they want to read then spits out a story for free. copyright D. Dundas

Looking for a story to read your kid before bed? Don’t want to look at your device over your coffee break? Need a read for the commute? Near the foot of Bay Street and Queens Quay, just outside the food court, near the pedestrian overpass to Union Station, you’ll notice a machine. It was installed just about two months ago by a forward-looking team from Oxford Properties, which runs the building, led by general manager Beverly Tay.

Short Story Dispenser at Lincoln University - A snack for your mind - SWNS

This university has become the first in the United Kingdom to install vending machines that are designed to dispense free short stories for students to read on campus—and any writer will soon be able to submit their own prose.

Hier, l’Hôtel Monsieur Jean était officiellement inauguré. En plein cœur du quartier historique du Vieux-Québec, Monsieur Jean étonne à plusieurs niveaux. L’emplacement, central pour les touristes qui visitent la capitale, offre à la fois une vue sur le fleuve et sur les célèbres remparts de la ville. Que ce soit pour une nuit ou pour un plus long séjour, l’une des 49 suites vous impressionnera et vous accueillera à bras ouverts. Ce nouveau projet au cœur de la ville mérite assurément le détour, ne serait-ce que pour venir admirer le hall ou récupérer une histoire romantique au distributeur d’histoires courtes @Short Edition.

Professor Mary Stuart launches Lincoln Short Story vending machine. Photo: University of Lincoln

Two innovative new vending machines were launched at the University of Lincoln this week, but instead of the usual chocolate and crisps it will dispense poetry.

This vending machine dispenses food for thought. It prints quickly. The paper is biodegradable. It’s available 24 hours a day. There is no charge.