“Every book a surprise”

The Biblio-mat is a vending machine that will deliver a random used book for just two (Canadian) dollars. It was created by Craig Small of Canada-based animation studio, The Juggernaut, and can be found at Toronto’s The Monkey’s Paw, a secondhand bookstore.

Biblio-Mat books, which vary widely in size and subject matter, cost two dollars. The machine was conceived as an artful alternative to the ubiquitous and often ignored discount sidewalk bin. When a customer puts coins into it, the Biblio-Mat dramatically whirrs and vibrates as the machine is set in motion. The ring of an old telephone bell enhances the thrill when the customer’s mystery book is delivered with a satisfying clunk into the receptacle below.