Kids

This Park Has a 24/7 Book Vending Machine

by Nicole Limlengco
October 16, 2026

At this vending machine, a midnight craving can end with a novel instead of a snack

This 24/7 book vending machine brought to us by National Bookstore, sits inside the NBS Park at Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong. The retailer calls it The Book Drop, and it has been running around the clock since October 12. The cashless machine lets passersby browse a curated selection on it’s touchscreen, pay via a QR code, and collect a title in about seconds — no checkout counter, no closing time.

For its first month, the book vending machine’s offerings follow a “cozy fiction” theme, with the lineup set to refresh every one to two months. Beside it, NBS Park visitors can also take a book from a communal shelf and read for free —an invitation to linger, flip through pages, and decide later whether a story is worth bringing home.

Stop and Smell The Pages

In a culture where entertainment is often one swipe away, the simple act of choosing a physical book can feel almost radical. There is no autoplay, no notification badge, no algorithm deciding what comes next—only a cover, a title, and the small suspense of opening to the first page.

That break from the screen may help readers of any age. A review of studies on children’s reading, published in a SAGE journal, found that print can support better comprehension than screens. The review also noted that digital extras and switching between tasks can interfere with how young readers process a story.

Adults get something out of it, too. A book is a calm, steady way to take back your attention.

This isn’t a case against technology. It’s a case for balance: screen-free hobbies such as novels, journaling, sketching, and puzzles, or simply browsing shelves without buying anything. Each has a clear start and finish, which a scrolling feed rarely offers.

Korean Cultural Center Director Kim Myeongjin and NBS President Adrian Ramos
during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Seouful Stories corner in NBS Festival Mall

A Bookstore and More

On that same day, National Bookstore also opened its second superbranch at Festival Mall, Alabang. The 1,100-square meter space has open shelving, reading areas, window’s facing the mall’s lagoon, a Toby’s Estate café, and a corner developed with the Korean Cultural Center. It’s designed for staying a while.

Reading is only part of the idea. The space is also meant for community building, gathering, and creating, so a visit can be as much about the people you share it with as the books on the shelves.

The place feels like it’s straight out of a movie. It’s giving if Fox Books and The Shop Around the Corner, the rival bookstores in the 1998 romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail“ had a baby. NBS president and CEO Adrian Ramos agrees, and counts the film among his favorites. Its appeal lies in small, independent bookshops and how a good one becomes a fixture of its neighborhood. Anyone who grew up on that movie will get the reference.

The Alabang store comes after the first superbranch at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. As per Ramos, a third is planned for Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao, aimed for before Christmas, with more in the pipeline.

Who Benefits Most From These Openings

These openings make it easier to pick up a habit that suits almost everyone. A parent can turn a quick stop into shared story time. A commuter can swap a phone feed for a paperback on the ride home. A lapsed reader gets a free shelf and no pressure to buy.

The vending machine’s short, rotating lineup also keeps the choice manageable. This month’s picks lean comforting and gentle, the kind of read you can sink into.

Reading habits rarely return through a grand resolution. They come back through a small, easy yes: a free shelf on a weekend walk, a paperback grabbed on the way home, a café table in a bookshop meant for gathering and creating as much as reading. National Bookstore has put all three within reach, and none of them asks for a plan or a perfect evening. Bring a child, bring a friend, or come alone. The first page will be waiting, even at 2 am.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Is the Book Vending Machine located?

The Book Drop, as its called, is inside the NBS Park at Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong.

Can You Read Books for Free AT NBS PARK?

Yes. A communal shelf stands beside the machine, and visitors can take a book from it and read for free.

How Does The Book Drop Work, and Is It Open 24 Hours?

Yes, it is open 24/7. Browse titles on the touchscreen, pay by scanning a QR code, and collect your book in about 20 seconds. The machine is cashless.