News

Book browsers can meet authors via kiosks in the UK

December 8, 2002

LETCHWORTH, Hertfordshire -- Blackwell's, an academic bookseller in the UK, launched an in-store trial of 'Meet the Author at Blackwell's,' according to a news release. 

The touchscreen kiosk, which is mounted on a book display table, features video clips of different authors.

A book's author will appear on the kiosk's screen when customers scan the book's bar code or touch a picture of its cover on the touchscreen.

The video of the author informs the reader what the book is about and why they might like it.

The service was launched in November at Blackwell's flagship stores in Oxford, Broad Street and Charing Cross Road, London.

The developers of the system, Retec Europe Ltd., based near London, and David Freeman of Relax With A Book Ltd., plan to deploy more units throughout the UK and USA in Spring 2003.