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(OCTOBER 24, 2024) At Eugene's Mahlon Sweet Field airport in Oregon, travelers can find something special in one vending machine: free short stories. The machine was added in March 2022 thanks to a partnership between the Eugene Public Library, the Eugene Public Library Foundation, and the airport.
This machine is called a Short Story Dispenser. It was created by a French company named Short Édition, which has about 300 machines in the U.S. and other parts of the world. The Eugene machine is very popular, printing more stories than any other airport, except one in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Martz, the assistant airport director, saw the machine at a conference and thought it would be perfect for the Eugene airport. He said, "When I saw it in Philadelphia, it had an effect on me... I said, 'I want that in my airport.'"
The Eugene machine gives readers three choices: stories by local writers, worldwide authors, or stories for children. The stories are free, and readers can print them while waiting for their flights. The machine sits near the escalators on the second floor of the airport.
The machine prints between 2,000 and 3,000 stories every month. By August 2024, it had printed 71,431 stories. About 34% of readers chose local stories, 39% chose worldwide stories, and 27% picked children's stories.
The machine costs $7,000, plus $2,300 per year for access to stories. The library staff reviews local stories before adding them to the machine to make sure they are appropriate.
Angela Ocaña, the Eugene library director, said the machine is a great way for people to connect through stories, especially in busy moments at the airport. She added, "We love that the airport helps us afford it... It’s a really good way for people to come together and share stories."
Overall, people love the free stories. Many say it’s an amazing idea, and the Eugene machine is especially popular on social media.
Click here to read some of the short stories online now! (or submit your own)
Sources:
Camhi, Tiffany. “Proposed Free Speech Policies Alarm Some Willamette University Students.” Opb, OPB, 11 Oct. 2024, www.opb.org/article/2024/10/11/willamette-university-free-speech-policies/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
Photo: Glen Beldsoe via Flickr.
Camhi, Tiffany. “Proposed Free Speech Policies Alarm Some Willamette University Students.” Opb, OPB, 11 Oct. 2024, www.opb.org/article/2024/10/11/willamette-university-free-speech-policies/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.
Photo: Glen Beldsoe via Flickr.
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