BLACKWELL'S Bookshop have started using a high-tech, interactive display to enable passers-by to see inside books in the window.

The interactive book display, created by technology specialist Jellybooks, is being showcased at Blackwell's flagship store on Broad Street, Oxford.

Locals can scan the QR codes seen in the window on their daily walk and start reading the new titles on their phones.

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The bookshop will be able to reopen fully on April 12 when lockdown restrictions start to ease.

Readers unable to get to the store, can also enjoy the first look of thousands of book titles online, by using Jellybooks' cloud platform for book excerpts and audiobook snippets called Discovery.

Rebecca MacAlister, Area Manager based at the world-famous Blackwell’s Bookshop in Oxford, says: “We’re thrilled to be working with Jellybooks to bring our customers DISCOVERY. One of the special joys of bookselling is seeing a customer pick up a book, open it and become immersed in it, before taking it to the till. We can’t get people back into the shop to recreate that moment yet, but this innovation means we can now offer a flavour of the content of a book through your screen, wherever you are in the world.”

Andrew Rhomberg, CEO of Jellybooks, says: “Discovering new writers and books is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and creating DISCOVERY has been a major ambition of ours.

"We’re delighted that we can launch the platform with six fantastic debut titles that we know readers will be excited to find out more about, and we are so thankful to Blackwell’s and our launch partner publishers for helping make this dream come true during lockdown.

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“By offering the functionality to browse books on a phone, tablet or computer and then purchase them directly from a local bookshop, we hope that DISCOVERY will not only inspire readers but help booksellers recover after such a difficult time.

"We encourage every reader to visit the Blackwell’s website today, browse all the great books on offer and use the opportunity for a peek inside to discover their next read.”

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