What is The Bookery?
The Bookery is a library where people can borrow, buy & read books.It is a place where people can sit peacefully, enjoy a good meal along with the books they love. The Bookery tries to deliver books to where you are when you cannot make it to the library. The Bookery takes old books from anyone who wants to donate books, restores & preserves them for the generations to come.
The Bookery is a place to connect, through events; book & poetry readings, talks, theatre performances, donations, collection drives & more.
The Bookery holds a lot of different meanings for a whole lot of people who made us part of their lives. What will The Bookery mean to you?
Existing
After fixing on 'books' & 'lending books' as the are of interest for my service, the first thing I did was to look for existing services which deal with the same problem. I found some traditional lending libraries and some newer on-line ones. |
| A traditional lending library on the left, and a digital library process on the right. Direct image link |
Some were inflexible, while others expensive and none going to any lengths to entertain or capture the essence and pleasurable experience that is reading. Books were just a commodity for most of them. The user who picks up a book cares deeply about what it holds. With each book its a different adventure, and none of the existing services take advantage of the fast amounts of brilliant content each one holds, to their advantage. You need an idea to engage your customer? well, it was waiting inside each one of those books they held on to with a grin.
Inspiration
Books themselves were my biggest inspiration. Apart from that;A place to stay, do my research and work; this might sound dull, but it really helps one to focus. Having access to hard information at your finger tips is very satisfying too.
I wanted Butterbeer! I wanted the One ring! I wanted my Bacon & Eggs; I wanted to be a part of each and every book that I've read. I wanted a place where I'd somehow get closer to all my adventures.
Literature in regional languages are constantly fighting a battle with English; The Bookery could be the missing archive and store house for everything regional as well.
Target Audience
Anyone who can read, wants to read and loves to read.Service Ecology map
The first step was to map out the connections between the service idea & and the people who would drive it. Initially the map took on many forms, but as I went forward, the ecology started to take a better shape. You can find the final ecology map and the process that lead to it below. |
| The Bookery final ecology map. Direct image link |
The Process
 |
| Initially, it was a direct map trying to connect users & places together, then the service. Direct image link |
 |
| Then the map divided the service into physical and digital planes keeping the actors in the middle. Direct image link |
 |
| A more traditional map that split stages of the service evolved; The welcome kit was born on this sheet as well :) Direct image link |
 |
| The rough ecology map before it became digital, with stages, actors, touchpoints and interactions. Direct image link |
The Persona
Once the actors were defined, I was able to carve out a persona, a generic user, yet specific to our cause, type of a user who leads a normal life and could use a service like The Bookery to the fullest. Interviews and surveys culminated into a common ground which was the persona.
Customer Journey
After the persona was defined, I was able to plot a route that the user might take through the service. |
| Final customer journey map for The Bookery. Direct image link |
The Process
 |
| Direct image link |
 |
| This big sheet maps out the user's journey. Direct image link |
Service Blueprint
As the customer journey shed more light into the process, I began to fill in the holes and build up the bigger picture. The Service blueprint tries to explain and cover the whole system and its processes. It gives us a better understanding of the bigger system and it brings two really important things to light. The first being evidences of where the system comes in contact with the user. The second, it highlights the places where the system can potentially fail. Taking all these points into account will help us build a better experience for the user. |
| Final service blueprint for The Bookery. Direct image link |
The Process
 |
| The initial blueprint or flow for the online processes. Direct image link |
 |
| The initial blueprint or flow for the offline processes. Direct image link |
 |
| The first of many iterations the blueprint... Direct image link |
 |
| ... continued Direct image link |
Branding
The Bookery Logo was one of the first things to have come out even before the service was defined in its entirety. The logo in a way set the mood for what was to become of The Bookery :) Take a look at the logo in all its glory. |
| Direct image link |
Evidences
The blue print and the ecology map has given us a better idea about what all artefacts we need to take care of. Here we map them down to each step of our broader process. |
| Direct image link |
The Process
 |
| The initial set of evidences, notice that it does not contain the post service cycle section. Direct image link |
Experience prototypes
The welcome kit
The welcome kit is a very important part of the experience. It will contain the membership card, rules and regulations booklet/poster, donation information flyer/poster, Bookmarks, calendar discount coupons, goodies from the shop etc. Some of these are shown in detail below.
Bookmarks
Bookmarks and tiny trinkets from the shop are going to be the oregano and chilli flakes of The Bookery |
| Direct image link |
 |
| Some sample bookmarks in action Direct image link |
 |
| Back side |
Membership card
A simple and elegant and minimal membership card with a photograph, a signature and a membership ID number for the user's reference. The RFID tag in the card contains the rest of the information. The photograph will either be taken at the users premise during the first visit or the library during registration, and be fixed on the membership card instantly. The delivery personal can swipe this card on their RFID reader during deliveries and pickups for different actions.
Cafe menu
The Cafe will have a regular set of food items. Apart from that, it will a theme once a month where the items keep changing Some of them might even be fictional, like the infamous Butterbeer from Harry Potter. Below is a menu exploration and evidence.
 | ||
Direct image link
|
Cafe token
The cake will have a token system. A token with a number is given to the user when he places the order. The user can go about as he pleases. Once the order is done, the token vibrates gently and glows notifying that the order is ready to be picked up. The user can shake the token in acknowledgement for it to turn off. If the user does not collect his order within 5 minutes, The token starts to vibrate and glow again.
 |
| Cafe tokens Direct image link |
The Bookery Rules
The Bookery has a very basic and simple scheme to start of with; these are some of the rules.
- Users deposit Rs. 500 or greater - this becomes the security deposit against the value to which they can borrow books.
- The first delivery after registration is free.
- Free delivery/pickup every Thursday, if it is a holiday, then the next working day.
- Regional language books can be kept with the customer for a maximum of 14 days at 5% of the cost of the book.
- Other books can be kept with the customer for a maximum of 7 days at 5% of the cost of the book.
- Books have to be renewed at the end of every cycle.
- Extra delivery/pickups are charged at Rs. 25 per pickup or delivery.
- No reading charges for using the library.
- Members get free wi-fi, access to computer terminals, discounts on books and items at the shop and special offers.
Bookery Donation scheme
1. We take books off of your hands completely.
- You get a bag with Bookery goodies.
2. We take books off your hands, but...
- Depending on the level of damage, and the cost of fixing the book up, we will share with you a profit of 50 to 70 percent each time the book is rented.
- If the book is sold, you get to keep 70% of the cost of the book.
Conclusion
The Bookery started of as a simple idea about lending books. The more I investigated, the more I found out how under exploited this established market is. The potential to expand on existing infrastructure and to build wonderful experiences on literature is immense. In the future if I get a chance, I will definitely be trying my hand some Bookery :)
References
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MLibrarySystems/Home/SolutionsAndTechnologies/RadioFrequencyIdentification/
Tagging Books to Prevent Theft
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/05/52493
Service Blueprint
http://www.slideshare.net/ypigneur/service-blueprint-presentation
e-Punarjanam - Tackling E-Waste differently by Prasanna Venkatesh R
http://ewastefunda.blogspot.in/2012/10/e-punarjanam-tackling-e-waste.html
