Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's newest toy: a short story dispenser. (Credit: Thomas Wheatley/Axios)

Thomas here! Before a recent flight to visit my mom, I dropped by Concourse T to check out Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's newest toy: a short story dispenser. 

Why it matters: The Atlanta airport is one of the South's most interesting places, and it's filled with surprises and oddities (those TSA 3D gun holograms, for one).

Here's another.
Zoom in: The unassuming kiosk at T17 prints out the option of a free children's, general audience or Spanish-language story at the push of a button.

Zoom out: French company Short Édition has installed more than 500 of its patented kiosks at locations on five continents, including several U.S. airports.

Metro RTA and the Akron-Summit County Public Library have partnered to offer a Library on the Go area inside the transit center. The area features lockers stocked with library materials that transit riders can borrow with a library card.Courtesy of Metro

AKRON, Ohio – Metro RTA and the Akron-Summit County Public Library celebrated the opening of the new Library on the Go service at the transit center, located at 631 S. Broadway St. in Akron.
[...]  A short story dispenser that prints stories for children and adults is also located in the Library on the Go area. The dispenser was added to the transit center approximately two years ago and has been popular with riders, according to Becker.

“Anything we can do to make life better for our transit loyal customers and our employees we will do,” Becker said. “We are hopeful this will catch on and be added to other transit centers throughout the country.”

Ce concours à destination des jeunes âgés de 10 à 16 ans est donc reconduit en Pays de Savoie.

Cette année, les jeunes auteurs devront composer leurs textes sur le thème de « La Nuit » dans deux catégories, à savoir : individuel ou collège. L’objectif est pour rappel de promouvoir l’écriture et la lecture de la littérature courte.

A short-story dispenser kiosk sits at the BART station in Richmond. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

At select BART stations, kiosks offer riders a literary invitation. BART goers can press a button to read an array of short stories: a one-minute read, three-minute read or a local short-story contest winner’s story. The machine will then dispense the story, receipt style. 
After three years, more than 38,000 stories have been dispensed and the program is expanding, according to BART officials. 
BART is now calling on the Bay Area’s teens to add their poetry to the kiosks. 

Nuit et feu de camp - @ Short Edition

Lors de la première édition, avec 225 textes reçus, la surprise a été générale auprès de la Direction de la lecture publique des Départements de la Haute-Savoie et de la Savoie, et du partenaire Short Édition.

La Nuit, ça te dit ?
C'est la thématique de la seconde édition du concours d'écriture lancé par les Départements de la Haute-Savoie et de la Savoie, toujours avec Short Édition.

Le Distributeur d'Histoires Courtes du Centre François-Baclesse (Calvados) est installé juste à côté de l'espace dédié aux consultations des patients (Ouest France)

Un distributeur automatique d'histoires courtes, des ateliers d'écriture. Mises en place au centre de lutte contre le cancer ces activités visent à adoucir le stress que rencontrent souvent les patients.

L'initiative. "J'aime beaucoup, c'est une merveilleuse idée. Merci " Ce petit mot, écrit sur un morceau de papier apposé sur cette machine futuriste dans l'espace consultations du centre de lutte contre le cancer François-Baclesse à Caen est sans équivoque. Depuis son installation en novembre 2023, ce Distributeur d'Histoires Courtes fait fureur dans l'hôpital !

Le centre François Baclesse de Caen dispose depuis le mois de novembre d'une borne à histoires.

Santé. Pour apaiser les patients, le centre François Baclesse s'est doté d'un distributeur d'histoires courtes en novembre dernier. Le patient peut lire des histoires de 1, 3 ou 5 minutes. Le principe est simple. Sur une borne, mise en place par l'éditeur Short Edition, le patient choisit son temps de lecture. Lui sont proposés des récits de 1, 3 ou 5 minutes. La machine imprime ensuite l'histoire retenue sur papier. Ce programme "nouvelles de l'hôpital" est déployé au niveau national, qui engage un hôpital par département.

Hyattsville public library

The Hyattsville public library now has a new kiosk that dispenses famous short stories and poems for free. Designed by French publisher Short Édition, the small kiosk prints out a story on a narrow strip of paper that resembles a receipt, but is thicker.

Visitors to the Hyattsville library can choose from one-, three-, or five-minute reads. The selections include famous poems and short stories in the public domain as well as works from Short Édition’s own catalog, and the authors receive royalties for their pieces.

From left, HHPL Manager of Community Engagement Jodie Mandarino, Chief Librarian and CEO Beverley King, Councillor Alex Hilson, Manager of Content and Technologies Clare Hanman, Systems Librarian Jen Corin, Manager of Business Services Mary Querques, libr

The Halton Hills Public Library's (HHPL) short story dispenser project is being recognized provincially. The initiative was recently named the winner of the Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) Technology Advancing Libraries Award.

[...] 

The HHPL’s short story dispenser project combines new technology with an online short story portal created by French publishing house Short Édition. The initiative promotes local history and encourages contributions from the public, in addition to bringing short stories, poems, comics and more from across Canada and around the world to the residents of Halton Hills.

Every month the selection of available stories changes to highlight different themes and events. To date, the library has distributed over 2,000 stories to the community.

“This award is an incredible honour and demonstrates our commitment to working with our community,” said HHPL Chief Librarian and CEO Beverley King.

The short-story vending machine at Edmonton International Airport in Alberta. The stories are free and come in various lengths depending on how long you want to read. (Credit : Edmonton International Airport)

For many travelers, airports are places to pass through as swiftly as possible, not places to savor. The incessant drone of announcements, the frustration of being shut out of increasingly exclusive lounges, the overpriced food, the serpentine lines and the fruitless search for an electrical outlet all can make for a hellish experience.

But every now and then an airport can offer unexpected and delightful amenities that ease travel’s pain points. [...]

Mr. Tsutsui was one of more than 1,300 people who responded when we asked readers to tell us about their favorite airport amenities. Their suggestions included, yes, yoga rooms (at San Francisco International Airport, Chicago Midway International Airport, and Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, among others) but also short-story dispensers, tranquil gardens, even a swimming pool.

Here’s a list that might make your next layover actually enjoyable. [...]

Hit Vending Machines : 
At Edmonton International Airport in Alberta, a kiosk dispenses free short stories of different reading lengths (one, three or five minutes) by local authors, printed on what look like long receipts and available in French or English. The dispenser was created by a French company, Short Édition, that specializes in brief works and is trying to encourage reading for fun (located after security on the departures level by Gate 60).

Sophie Lantheaume, en charge du projet, a aussi lu un texte écrit par une participante, non sans une grande émotion.

Depuis des semaines, les patients de l'Hôpital Privé Drome-Ardèche ont participé à des ateliers d'écriture. Jeudi dernier, ces écrits ont été présentés.

Sophie Lantheaume en charge du projet d’atelier d’écriture à l’hôpital privé de Drôme-Ardèche a souligné, lors de la réunion de restitution des écrits des patients, « Lors du Covid, les accompagnants n’étaient pas autorisés à entrer dans l’hôpital, et les magazines avaient été supprimés. Le public n’avait alors que son portable comme compagnie. Nous avons donc cherché comment faire revenir la culture à l'hôpital.

The short story dispenser is currently at the Georgetown branch, but will eventually be making its way around the community for everyone to enjoy. Photo provided by Halton Hills Public Library

Halton Hills Public Library's (HHPL) Georgetown branch is now home to of one of Canada’s first short story dispensers.

Created by French publishing house Short Édition, the unique stand-alone kiosk delivers on-the-go stories while breathing new life into the art of storytelling, says the library team.

Patrons and visitors can choose from three categories - Local, Worldwide or For Kids - and with the push of a button, the machine will dispense a paper scroll with a randomly chosen short story, poem or comic for free.