The world is going completely digital, and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff is walking into that direction as well. Being the bookworm that he is with over 1,000 first editions in his private collection, Wolff plans to create a new countywide library system that is entirely bookless. Yes, Wolff is on a mission to establish the country’s first bookless public library, and he wants to call it “BiblioTech.” Apparently Wolff was inspired while reading the biography of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
“If you want to get an idea what it looks like, go into an Apple store,” he says. However, Wolff says that it will not replace the city’s library system. “It’s an enhancement,” he adds. BiblioTech is expected to open this fall, but Wolff will first need to ask the Commissioners Court to approve several measures prior to the launch. Describing how the system works, Wolff says, “We do have your name, we do have your address. You check it out for two weeks, just like a library book. In two weeks, your e-book goes dead, so you won’t have anything worth keeping.”