Edmonton Public Library Takes History of a Loan Local Author’s Book as a Non-Fungible Token – Edmonton

An Edmonton author decided to publish only one copy of his latest book, and he did so in a non-traditional way: as a non-fungal token (NFT).

Todd Babiak just decided to make a copy The daughters of Walsingham as NFT. The book was then purchased with digital currency by Edmonton businessman Chris Labossiere, who donated the only digital copy to the Edmonton Public Library.

This means that Edmontonians have exclusive and free access to the book.

It’s history in the making. EPL becomes the first library to lend an NFT article for free with a library card. The copy is available for EPL cardholders via the OverDrive app from March 22nd.

It also means that Babiak is the first author in the world to sell a complete novel as an NFT to just one buyer.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this extraordinary story,” said EPL Tina Thomas. “Being on the edge of new technology that can change the way books are published and offered in the future is so exciting.

“We are grateful for the generosity of library supporters like Chris Labossiere, who allowed the Edmonton audience exclusive access to this incredible piece of fiction by one of our favorite local authors.”

An NFT is a single digital asset that represents real objects such as art, music and books. They are bought and sold online, usually using cryptocurrency and are becoming increasingly popular for buying and selling digital artwork.

Think of it as a record of who owns a piece of digital content.

“Art is the perfect use case for smart contracts,” Babiak said. “Instead of publishing The daughters of Walsingham the traditional way of tokenizing a novel – like any work of art, or any contract – allows me to have a direct connection with my reader.

“It’s an easy, efficient, elegant and safe way to make a contract with anyone and why not publish a novel this way and see what happens? Just a book, a buyer, a close relationship with just one reader,” he said. he added.

Babiak’s daughter inspired the book. The Walsingham Daughters is the story of 14-year-old Gwendolyn Spire, who lived in Alaska in 1962. She is then called to Walsingham Academy, a secret place where girls have been trained for generations in secret activities.

The EPL uses this as an opportunity to learn more about NFTs and to share this learning with the community. It – along with the support of Bossiere – also gives more people access to a book that would otherwise only be available to one book buyer.

In the coming months, EPL will organize opportunities to learn about cryptocurrency, blockchain and NFTs through classes and events.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for us to once again be a library leader in embracing new technology that is changing the way readers access access to literary works of art,” Thomas said. “We are immersed in the new world of digital creation and sharing, and we look forward to continuing to experiment and learn alongside our customers.”