"In New York, a Library for Your Subway Ride" | Publishers Weekly

[Froide]

"In New York, a Library for Your Subway Ride"
By John Maher | June 13, 2017 | Publishers Weekly

EXCERPTS:

New York's three major public library systems—The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library—have teamed up with the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Transit Wireless to launch Subway Library, which offers free e-book downloads in subway stations.

The six-week promotion, according to a press release issued by the New York Public Library, offers free-ebooks, e-shorts, and excerpts from full-length books. The excerpts are meant to be read on New Yorkers' commutes. All content can be downloaded at subway stations, where riders can connect to the Subway Library website by using Transit Wireless WiFi, a city-wide system launched in 2011, and completed last year, providing all subway stations in the city with wireless internet and cell service. The Subway Library site was developed by the NYPL, and is similar to its SimplyE free e-book reader app.

...

Along with the promotion, a Library Train—a subway car featuring an interior that evokes the Rose Main Reading Room inside the 42nd Street branch of the NYPL—will alternate running along the 6th and 8th Avenue corridor lines of the E and F trains. A social media competition, in which riders can share photos of themselves by Subway Library posters or within the Subway Library train—offers six possible prizes, including three Amazon Kindle Voyages.

Courtesy NYPL - The Subway Library train interior.

E-books and short stories offered come from the New York Public Library's permanent collection, while excerpts have been made available by publishers including Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Plympton, and Simon & Schuster. Authors whose works are available through the project include Zadie Smith, Mohsin Hamid, Karen Russel, David Foster Wallace, Angie Thomas, and Lemony Snicket.

I look forward to checking out the Subway Library train car. Even if you're not in NYC, though, you might find some titles among the Subway Library's selections sufficiently interesting to add to your TBR list.

[crich70]

They're certainly keeping pace with the times.

[FizzyWater]

I can see the benefit of offering Wi-Fi to transit users, but cell phone service? How would that work? Bring your own unlocked cell phone and make calls on the ride?

[Froide]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I can see the benefit of offering Wi-Fi to transit users, but cell phone service? How would that work? Bring your own unlocked cell phone and make calls on the ride?

What they mean by "cell phone service" is the capability to make/receive cell phone calls and send/receive text messages while in the tunnels. Before introducing that capability, the subway system was a "dead zone" for cellphone and texting services.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Froide

What they mean by "cell phone service" is the capability to make/receive cell phone calls and send/receive text messages while in the tunnels. Before introducing that capability, the subway system was a "dead zone" for cellphone and texting services.

Gotcha. That would be a very nice benefit to commuters, I'm sure.

Thanks for the clarification, Froide!

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Froide

What they mean by "cell phone service" is the capability to make/receive cell phone calls and send/receive text messages while in the tunnels. Before introducing that capability, the subway system was a "dead zone" for cellphone and texting services.

And some people rather than using a dedicated ereader device will download an app to their phone and will read on that as well.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by crich70

And some people rather than using a dedicated ereader device will download an app to their phone and will read on that as well.

Indeed, many do. Oftentimes, I'm one of them.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Froide

Indeed, many do. Oftentimes, I'm one of them.