BiblioTech (San Antonio)

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BiblioTech is the first and only public library in the United States with no physical books.[1] It opened fall 2013 serving Bexar County, Texas. They rely on e-readers and loan e-books rather than physical books.[2][3]

The library cost $2.3 million (USD), and is on the city's economically depressed South Side.[1]

San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the U.S. but ranks 60th in literacy.[1] The library is likely to surpass 100,000 visitors in its first year.[1]

All-digital libraries have existed on college campuses for years but this is the first public library.[1] BiblioTech has 48 iMacs, and it loans e-readers to those with a BiblioTech card, about half are on loan at any given time.[1] Each reader can hold up to five books.[1]

Head librarian Ashley Elkholf says that in her old librarian job at a traditional library, items would get misplaced, vandalized, and go missing altogether, but she hasn't had any problems with e-readers disappearing.[1] The county also saved millions on some expenses, the architecture and furniture required to store books, as well as the infrastructure to bear the weight of the books.[1] The 10,000-volumes they offer cost about the same as the physical books.[1]


See also

  • BiblioTech

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Nation's first bookless library opens in San Antonio | Dallas Morning News
  2. ↑ "The First Bookless Public Library: Texas to Have BiblioTech". ABC News. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 
  3. ↑ "San Antonio launching 'bookless' BiblioTech library in fall, places its eggs in digital basket". engadget.com. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 

External links


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