book vending machine

Toronto just got a book vending machine

Although not Toronto's first book vending machine — the beloved "Biblio-mat" at Monkey's Paw on Bloor Street West came before it and served as inspiration — Carry On Books, the new book vending machine that launched today is certainly a game-changer for those in and around the Billy Bishop Island Airport. 

Even better, the machine is situated "pre-security" so you don't need a boarding pass to take advantage of it. Put in place by the Literary Press Group, an association made up of 60 Canadian independent book publishers, the vending machine features 20 independent titles.

Books are priced between $16 and $20, the machine accepts debit and credit, no cash, according to the Toronto Star

The machine will be rotating 30 titles throughout the summer, from publishers Book*hug, Brindle & Glass, Inanna Publications, Nightwood Editions, Playwrights Canada Press and Stonehouse Publishing. 

book vending machineCarry On Books is an "experiment" running from June 1 to Aug. 31 and was funded by the Canada Book Fund

As for why this machine is in the airport, “We thought Billy Bishop was the best place to launch a book vending machine because there’s no real entertainment options on the flight,” Christen Thomas, Literary Press Group's executive director, told the Toronto Star. “We often see passengers reading the literature on the plane.”

Lead photo by

Literary Press Group


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Arts

The AGO remains closed indefinitely as strike drags on

Giant glowing wall will divide busy Toronto destination from Gardiner Expressway

Mean Girls the Musical is coming back to Toronto this summer

Toronto organization behind annual holiday street festival facing financial challenges

A massive interactive floating arch that glows at night is coming to Toronto

Toronto museum with confusing and often misspelled name is changing it

People from Toronto can now apply to live out their dreams working for Disney

Lake Ontario to be dyed bright pink for Toronto art installation