The stories are printed on eco-friendly papyrus paper. Image: REUTERS/Simon Dawson

Once upon a time, in one of the busiest parts of one of the busiest cities in the world, the people were so busy, they didn’t have time to finish reading lengthy works of fiction. So three vending machines were set up, dishing out not chocolate bars or cans of drink, but free short stories to those rushing by.

French creation, the short story dispenser, are now springing up around the world.

The Short Story Dispenser was invented by Short Edition, a French publishing house. Since 2015, the machines have been dispensing short stories on receipt paper that range from one to five minute reads, free of charge. The machines have proven so popular in France that they're now springing up around the world.

The Death of Mr Robinson, a one-minute read printed by a free short story vending machine in Canary Wharf station. The story was commissioned for the project from novelist Anthony Horowitz. Photograph: Sarah Lee/The Guardian

‘Short story stations’ in Canary Wharf print one- three- and five-minute reads on demand “Every single day,” says Paresh Raichura, “I’m on the lookout for something new to read.” On his hour-long commute to Canary Wharf, where he works for the Financial Ombudsman, he picks up Time Out or a local paper or the freesheet Metro, but says: “I’ve stopped reading all the long novels I used to read.”

If they succeed in distracting commuters from their smartphones, short story dispensers will be a welcome addition to the landscape Can fiction miniatures dispensed through slots lure commuters away from their smartphone apps and social media feeds into the imaginary worlds created by authors including Virginia Woolf and Anthony Horowitz? We are about to find out.

The machines, made by French company Short Édition, will dispense free one, three and five-minute stories … with the first penned by Anthony Horowitz. Weary city workers will have a new way of passing the time on their commute once the UK’s first short-story vending machines are installed at Canary Wharf this week.

Gare de l’Est, lundi. Amandine et Clélia ont savouré une nouvelle du distributeur d’histoires.

INNOVATION. Des bornes de lecture express fleurissent dans les lieux publics. Un concept ludique, imaginé par une société grenobloise, qui plaît même à ceux qui ne mettent jamais le nez dans un livre.

Gare de l'Est. David Paquin

Le 10 décembre, la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme fête ses 70 ans. Exposition, distribution de livrets, concours d'écriture… sont organisés dans 84 gares de France, dont 15 à Paris et en Île-de-France. Chaque jour, un million de voyageurs empruntent les grandes gares franciliennes. Quel meilleur lieu pour faire passer un message ?

CBS News - Let There Be Lit

Reading for pleasure is at an all-time low in the United States. A recent government report revealed Americans read for fun about 17 minutes each day. And the percentage of Americans indulging in leisure reading on any given day dropped by nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2017. One solution to our short attention spans and even shorter spurts of free time are short stories. They are low commitment and high gratitude, and can transport readers to far-flung places.

Siobhan Reardon and Chellie Cameron give the dispenser a spinPhiladelphia International Airport

Being stranded at the airport usually means scrolling through social media, or picking up a newspaper or magazine. But those doesn't need to be your only options at Philadelphia International Airport, where a free, no-WiFi-required alternative was unveiled Friday: a Short Story Dispenser, put in place by the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Avez-vous déjà croisé cet engin incroyable ? C'est un Distributeur d'Histoires Courtes

Once upon a time, a kiosk dreamed of delivering something more exciting than tickets.

Cette machine imprime une histoire courte à lire pour s'occuper. Avant d'être installée à Lens, elle a notamment été essayée à la mairie de Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine).

L'automate est installé à Lens, dans la boutique du réseau de bus Tadao. Il a pour but de rendre l'attente plus agréable. Un distributeur d'histoires courtes : ce n'est pas de la science-fiction mais une étrange machine installée à Lens (Pas-de-Calais), dans la boutique du réseau de bus Tadao.