Randy Salce Jr
MCS214 Final Paper
The Future of Books: The Literix Library
The future of books is a buzzing topic that many book lovers have been debating for some time now. The shift from paper books to ebooks has been the recent change in the trends of the world of books. The question that lingers in most individuals’ heads now is what is the next phase in the culture of reading. In a society where digital media seems to be inevitably taking over, in order to preserve the substance of books the next big thing must incorporate some sort of future digital technology alongside of it. The results of such demands deemed by society has lead to the development of the The Literix Library (The Literature-Matrix Library).
The Literix Library is the future of the current public libraries across the nation. The public library is known as a space dedicated to research and reading for the needs of those individuals who make up our society. Following that similar theme, the Literix Library will be a dedicated space for digital interaction along with virtual reality services in terms of reading. In this space, people who want to read their desired literature will “plug” their mind/subconscious into the very novel they are reading and live out the storyline of the book. The library will be providing the full service of plugging minds into the novels, in addition to monitoring the operation systems, and aiding those physically/emotionally distraught.
Location for the Literix Library is simple, the plan is to dissolve most current public library locations into spaces that accommodate the necessary needs of such an operation. The targeted primary location in focus are public libraries but there is interest in operating in secondary locations. Ideas brainstormed for potential secondary locations include book stores, hospitals, and educational institutions, universities in specific. The project will begin to operate as a pilot program, starting in three to five primary locations and running for 24 months. The test run serves to pinpoint any malfunctions or defects that originate with the production of the operation system. It also allows development teams to make any necessary changes to the service to fully satisfy the reader. The formation of the L.L. is a complex process which is why a projected timeframe was established in order to regulate production and serve as a guide. Research along with development of the L.L. began in 2016 and according the the timeline the hope is to have finished and opened the very first Literix Library in it’s primary location by 2022. By the year 2027 the goal is that the Literix Library is functioning in its presumed secondary locations, opening the services to those in hospitals, universities, and possible bookstores. The major goal, and arguably the mission of the L.L. is to be operating fully in about 80% of original public library locations, phasing out the use of print books but not completely eliminating them.
The project’s potential audience is a vast group of individuals. The reason for it attracting such a big number of individuals is because of the concept of the service and how many would easily be drawn to such a project. Right off the bat, most people would opt in to be able to experience their favorite stories first hand. The psychographics that book lovers entitle also help the project gain more of a following because it appeals to avid readers, novel enthusiasts, and individuals with a creative or imaginative background. As far as demographics go for the potential audience it is pretty simple, it is open to people of all demographics. One of the main ideas behind the Literix Library is to have it be affordable to everyone it could possibly appeal to, which is why there is no maximum or minimum on levels of income of individuals who can use the services. It is an experience that should be equally accessible to those interested, regardless of how much money they have to their name. The only restriction that the L.L. will enforce is age restrictions, which will be put in place for health and hazard concerns. In order to indulge in the fruits of the service, participants must be of 18 years of age. Children from 10 to 17 years of age can participate but need parental consent from a guardian, but those younger than 10 unfortunately can not use the services offered by the Literix Library.
Exactly how the L.L. will function follows the procedures similar to those seen in the famous movie The Matrix by The Wachowskis. With the use of a number of trackers, sensors, and monitors it will give employees a real time display of the action taking place in the story as well as the participants’ vital signs, including heart rate and oxygen levels. This is the reason why employees with have to undergo specific training in order to receive certification that would allow them to be responsible for participants’ plugged in experience in the case that something goes wrong. It will ensure the safety of those involved along with virtually eliminating any potential harm participants could be faced with when plugging in. For the actual virtual/digital world in which users will be placed in, developers will encode the language of each book in order for the system to recognize different dialogue, settings, and details. These encodings will allow the system in partnership with the user’s subconscious to create the settings of the story, recognize different characters’ dialogue, scenery, actions, the narrator’s voice, etc. The only restriction set in place is that users must follow the respective storyline strictly, which is in part of respect towards the author and not editing their published craft. These operations is open to and will funded by a number of financial sources including debt financing, equity financing, donations, and profits received from service fees charged to users. Lastly, one of the major potential sources of financing will come from the money received from authors chosen to collaborate with the Literix Library. Authors will pay a one time contract fee to let the L.L. use their books, in which they will be receiving a percentage of profits depending on their success through the services.
The reasons to create such a pioneering service are endless but there are number worth highlighting. Most importantly, the Literix Library is an adaptive change made to the library systems in accommodation to the evolving trends in digital media. It is safe to say that sooner rather than later print books will be something of the past which is why the services of the L.L. will preserve the stories that exist in those books. It serves as a new, refreshing approach to storytelling by presenting it in a way that’s never been done before. It also allows readers to have a chance to live out their favorite stories and fairytales. All the “what ifs” that most readers carried with them when contemplating living in their wanted fairytale land will be silenced. The Literix Library prides itself in allowing readers to finally live out their childhood dreams of exploring a fictional world.
The Literix Library was loosely influenced by a number of already existent products in the market of digital books. One of the major influences behind the project was HarperCollins and their evolution regarding the ebook. HarperCollins was one of the first major organizations the develop the idea behind the ebook back in 2005 and more recently have been focusing on what comes next in the stage of evolution after ebooks. The article Beyond E-Books: HarperCollins Looks For the Next Big Thing states that “HarperCollins recently released an app called Unbound that scans print books to pull up digital extras on your phone”. The app allows readers to scan a page of the book that they are reading and it pulls up a number of related (digital) content. Another big influence behind the creation of the L.L. is the growing presence of web/phone applications used for storytelling. Some specific apps include A Wise Use of Time and Blood & Laurels. Both apps revolve around interactive storytelling that allow users to make decisions/interact with the storyline with real time response. The ideas stemmed from the previously mentioned products in addition to the concept of interactive children’s books make up the core basis for the idea behind this project.
In the hope that the L.L. project hits the ground running, attempts to collaborate with famous authors have already been initiated. The mission is to attract a grand number of interested participants by working with authors like J.K. Rowling, R.L. Stine, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephanie Meyer, and Suzanne Collins. Authors of such successful series of books will jumpstart the attraction to the services of the project because of the relatedness fans will register with it. Projected plans have already begun to be developed in hopes of becoming upcoming features of the L.L. These features include the addition of textbooks and “choose-your-own-adventure” books. These additions will draw a number educational benefits by allowing users to study in an environment specifically catered to their needs based on their subconscious. The new additions will also allow users to experience a more freelance version of the Literix Library service. There are no limitations on what can be accomplished with the introduction of the services of the Literix Library to the public.
Works Cited
Dredge, Staurt. “Interactive Book Apps – 10 of the Best.” The Guardian. N.p., 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 20 May 2016. <https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/14/ten-best-interactive-book-apps-ios-android>.
Fiegerman, Seth. “Beyond E-Books: HarperCollins Looks for the Next Big Thing.” Mashable. N.p., 30 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 May 2016. <http://mashable.com/2013/11/30/harpercollins-digital-e-books-publishing/#nsxv_LR4UPqU>.
“Interactive Children’s Books.” Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_children%27s_book>.
