So, I was thinking about the check-in feature on Foursquare and I thought... "You check-in books". Very stupid thought, but it got me thinking "could you use foursquare to check-in books?" Turns out you can't, but even still, if I could use some kind of "check-in" feature with GPS functionality for confirmation, you could actually create a library with no branches... or rather, you'd have branches in participating hole-in-the-wall restaurants all across America. You need a lot of help:

- Participating restaurants
- Funds to buy books
- Funds to replace stolen books
- People willing to transport the books
- Someone who knows how to program all this

Still, with a volunteer army of sorts, very possible. You get maybe... five books to start with one coffee shop as a branch and then set "The People" to work. Make library stickers available for printout/purchase and allow people to add their own books to the database. Shops are allowed to add themselves as library branches, so if you are at a "library branch", then you can feel free to "check-in" the book at the library. The website would not track the user, but rather track the book, so privacy would be maintained, but if you add a book to the library, it would show up on your profile and you can see it hop around from shop to shop.

The next step is that you set up forums and 'meetup'-like functions on the website. Users can talk about books in the library online, or meet at local branches. Books that are missing can be reported on the main-page. If users donate enough money to a certain book, it will be re-added to the collection. Then, BAM. You have a library with books, librarians, patrons, but no buildings. Cool, hunh?

haHA! That's a cool idea! Better make sure nobody does or they might put you out of business ;)

There are little "libraries" at the hostels that I've been visiting. You can read the book while you're at the hostel, but if you want to take it with you when you go you have to leave a different book in its place.
» Zanzibar on 2013-03-06 04:04:09

Sorry, you do not have permission to comment.

If you are a member, try logging in again or accessing this page here.