QR Code literature links in action (via pingeb.org)
Some say Europe is the first world, full of old architecture and ideals. Rest assured, it is only a veneer. The city of Klagenfurt in Austria is embarking on a new frontier with an ambitious innovative project called Project Ingeborg that aims to tie old buildings, old literature and new technology in a highly creative way. This non-profit organization has created a small library that can be entirely accessed by anyone with the technology to tap into Quick Response (QR) codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) stickers that have been scattered throughout Klagenfurt.
Accessing the library is straightforward once you have found the stickers. But it took a lot of hard work and collaboration from volunteers at two nonprofit organizations, Project Ingeborg and Project Gutenberg, to make it reality. Project Gutenberg has digitized over 40,000 books and shares them through their website, but Project Ingeborg is making the first ever attempt at distributing books using this QR codes or NFC technology in such a creative manner. Over 70 literary works are available for free around the city. These works can be accessed for free because their copyrights have expired and are now part of the public domain. Music and other multimedia will soon be available via the same sticker network.
It is easy to check out any book from this digital library. Any tourist or local in Klagenfurt can visit prominent landmarks and find QR codes or NFC stickers that will lead to a pertinent work of literature related to that landmark. It is a sort of digital literary tour, or scavenger hunt, that will surely influence locals to explore their city and reawaken interest for classic literature. You can also download these e-books to other devices like tablets or e-readers using WLAN networks on the mobile website m.gutenberg.org or transfer the downloaded files like any other platform.
The project is keeping search engines from listing these books to guarantee people find them the way the Ingeborg Project intended. But do not worry about finding the stickers, you can find the map of where they are on the project’s website, pingeb.org.
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