New York Public Library Introduces Classic Books on Instagram
The New York Public Library has taken digital reading to the next level by creating a new interactive reading experience on Instagram called Insta Novels. Could books on Instagram be the future of reading?
Insta Novels is an initiative to increase the availability of classic novels and bring them to followers of The New York Public Library Instagram account (@nypl). Classic literature such as Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (including art from well-known designer Magoz @magoz), The Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka (illustrated by César Pelizer @cesarpelizer) and The Yellow Wallpaper written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (illustrated by Buck @buck_design) will be released in snippets via Instagram stories.
The first book on Instagram to get the Insta Novel treatment is the trippy family favourite Alice in Wonderland. The text will be included in full and bottom right of the corner will always be clear as you can hold this part of the screen to pause the page in case it’s going too quickly for you to read.
You don’t have to worry about catching up with the account daily to follow the books, each Instagram story will be saved as a Highlight so followers can catch up any time.
Corinna Falusi, Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Mother in New York (an independent advertising and creative agency), said: “Instagram unknowingly created the perfect bookshelf for this new kind of online novel. From the way you turn the pages, to where you rest your thumb while reading, the experience is already unmistakably like reading a paperback novel.”
Carrie Welch, The New York Public Library’s Chief of External Relations, said “It’s appropriate that one of the works we’re using is The Metamorphosis, because in collaboration with Mother, we are completely transforming the way people look at this popular social media platform, and reimagining the way people access the classics.”
The New York Public Library’s innovative initiative cuts out boundaries of location and membership, allowing their worldwide audience to participate in both their business and their chosen classic novels.
However, the big question is how does it read?
Personally, I find reading on a phone screen (my trusty old iPhone 6 to be precise) just too small but when I tried it on my tablet I loved it. So far it’s only Alice in Wonderland online but the art is wonderful and the reading is easy. The only slight downfall in this style of reading is finding your place again. The story is quick to skim through but until you can tag a specific story page, that’s going to be an issue. Books on Instagram might not be my ideal form of reading but it certainly has the potential to catch on and The New York Public Library has done it in style.
If you like this then check out the Harry Potter mobile phone game.