Virtual Library
By scanning a book cover on their carriage wall, New York underground passengers are able to read the first few pages on their phone.
While most contemporary adverts and marketing campaigns drive users to a digital site orsocial media platform, this campaign does just the opposite. Three students from the MiamiAd School have proposed the ‘Underground Library’ as away of encouraging the public to visit various branches of the New York Public Library.The virtual library shelf not only makes for an attractive change from the usual adverts, but wouldalso allow subway riders to download and read the first ten pages of a book on their smartphone.Once the passenger leaves the subway, a map pops up on their phone directing them to the nearestlibrary where they can pick up a hard copy and read to their heart’s content.In the absence of WiFi, the idea uses Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology – a wireless,non-contact system that uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data between twodevices held centimetres apart. Art directors Keri Tan and Max Pilwat workedwith copywriter Ferdi Rodriguez in the creation of the virtual library, with the aim of reminding NewYorkers that the New York Library is still a valuable, free resource, and, perhaps, a refreshing changefrom your average Google search.
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