EverRich opens e-library waiting lounge

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The lounge contains more than 400 e-books and e-magazines and in excess of 2,000 second-hand books for passengers to read

Taiwanese travel retailer EverRich Duty Free has opened what it believes is the world's first public e-library waiting lounge at Taiwan Taoyuan International airport. The 198sq m (2,131sq ft) lounge is located in terminal two near gate C5 and contains more than 400 e-books and e-magazines and in excess of 2,000 second-hand books. A further two e-libraries have been built in T1's north wing (area A) and south wing (area B) along with one at Kaohsiung International airport.

English titles such as National Geographic and Marie Claire magazines, the Sherlock Homes Collection, children's, scientific, art and cookery books and various forms of Chinese literature are available in the lounge. EverRich plans to update the range every six months. The room is also equipped with GPS navigation systems for passengers interested in searching for maps of their destinations and there is also equipment for passengers to take photos and email them to friends and family.

An EverRich spokesperson told DFNIonline: "Since EverRich Duty Free is dedicated to promoting Taiwanese culture, it came up with the idea of integrating the library concept with the technology industry which is the pride of Taiwan. As far as we know passengers view it as an amazing lounge with an outstanding design and useful functions."

According to the spokesperson, the lounge has not been implemented with the sole aim of boosting duty-free sales. "The aim of the e-library waiting lounge is to service international travellers passing through the airport. We expect it to be an amazing representative of the high levels of public service available rather than a sales pusher."

The spokesperson explained how the opportunity to open the lounge came about and why it decided to do so. "Duty-free operators in Taiwan execute the government's operation, transfer and rehabilitation and operation and transfer projects which are based on a 12-year term. This enables us to work with the airport to keep raising various topics.

"Furthermore it is our honour to promote Taiwan and introduce the culture, art and humanity of Taiwan to the world, but the most important reason was to raise the internationally competitive advantage of Taoyuan International airport as the biggest international airport in the country which is vital to our duty-free business, the airport and the Taiwanese people," the spokesperson concluded.