Rather than resist the undeniable shift from paper to screens, The New York Public Library wanted to meet people exactly where they already were: their phones. Insta Novels is a simple idea. We uploaded full books directly into Instagram Stories, thereby hacking social media to further the Library’s public promise to “advance knowledge by providing free and open access to materials and information...” The program created an entirely new experience in e-reading, one that mimics the familiarity of paperback novel but for today’s audience.

First, we selected some of the greatest works of classic literature that would resonate with today’s teens. We then worked with Insta-famous illustrators to reimagine each cover for our digital audience. Once the Insta Novel was complete, we saved each title to the Library’s Instagram Highlights, thereby turning the feature into a digital bookshelf that anyone could access, any time.

Each book in the Insta Novels program is uploaded directly into Instagram Stories, complete with unique and engaging design elements. From the color of the page, to the placement of the thumb rest, to the soundtrack, we thoughtfully sweat over every detail of this new format with an actual reader in mind. The Instagram-specific design includes stills and videos that mirror the unique layout of the original works. The background is a warmer white that’s easy to read on screen, and the font is Georgia, a typeface that pays homage to the history of the written word in both print and digital (it was one of the first serif fonts designed for screen to make long form text more pleasing and legible). Custom animations include stills and videos that mirror the unique layout of the original works. Readers rest their thumbs on the screen to hold the page. They lift their thumbs to turn the page. The thumb holder also doubles as a flipbook: if a reader lets the book run they see an animation. Using the “Highlights” feature, each novel is saved as a work of digital literature that readers can access at any time. This essentially turns “Highlights” into a digital bookshelf. Even the music for each promotional video was created using the sound of real books.