Train stations are more than just stations: Taiwan Railways sets up “Fastbook self-service book borrowing and returning”

▲ Songshan Station now hosts Taipei’s fourth “Fastbook self-service book borrowing and returning station.” (Photo / fromWikipedia)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

To enhance the reading culture among citizens and travelers, and to create a culturally enriched environment around train stations, Taiwan Railways has partnered with the Taipei Public Library to install a “Fastbook self-service book borrowing and returning” service in the ticket hall on the B1 level of Songshan Station starting today, providing the public with a convenient place to borrow and return books.

Proposed by Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih and planned by Taiwan Railways, the concept of “a train station as a connector to a better life” aims to integrate tourism, sightseeing, food, clothing, housing, and transportation around train stations, creating a lifestyle concept centered on stations with historical and cultural ambiance.

▲ The “FastBook fully automatic book borrowing station” provided by the Taipei Public Library allows book-loving citizens to borrow books anytime. (Photo / fromTaipei Public Library official website)

The “FastBook fully automatic book borrowing station” provided by the Taipei Public Library has actively promoted reading habits among citizens since April 2011, with three borrowing stations already set up in high-traffic locations such as Taipei Main Station and Taipei City Hall, enabling readers to easily borrow and return books 24 hours a day. Taiwan Railways found this public convenience service well aligned with the “better life connector” concept, and since April this year, has actively engaged with Taipei Public Library Director Hong Shih-chang. After an on-site inspection, it was decided to establish the fourth “FastBook self-service book borrowing and returning station” at Songshan Station.

The “FastBook self-service book borrowing and returning station” is imported directly from Japan, featuring an exterior design that highlights Taiwan Railways’ railway scenery. Users can operate the borrowing and returning system with their EasyCard, and also enjoy the convenience of “borrowing at one location and returning at another” within the service area of the Taipei Public Library. Taiwan Railways hopes that by introducing this new element, the station will become “more than just a station,” transforming into a mobile urban library.