The Short Story ATM

THE SHORT STORY ATM

Gone are the days when it was common for Americans to sit around and read for pleasure.

Whether it can be attributed to our busier lifestyles or our lack of attention spans, it is estimated that Americans only read for pleasure an average of 17 minutes each day.

In fact, the percentage of Americans who read for pleasure on any given day continues to decline, bringing us to an all-time low.

In an effort to improve these statistics and to promote literacy, public libraries throughout the country (and the world) are coming to the rescue with ATM-like machines that dispense short stories.

According to this great story from CBS News,  with just the press of a button, users can receive a free short story that takes either one, three, or five minutes to read. The stories, which vary in genre and style, are printed on environmentally friendly paper, using biodegradable ink.

And although there are currently only 35 short-story dispensers in North America, and 180 worldwide, those numbers are starting to grow.

This is great news for writers, too!