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Short Story Dispenser

Short Story Dispenser at the Elk Grove Village Library

Looking for more literature and creativity in your life? Stop by our Short Story Dispenser in the café area by the Self-Check machines to print a one-, three-, or five-minute short story to read on the spot or on the go. You can also read stories online on our Short Story site.

The Library's Short Story Dispenser was generously donated by the Friends of the Elk Grove Village Public Library.

READ SHORT STORIES ONLINE

Submit Your Content

We encourage Elk Grove Village residents of all ages to submit content like short stories, poems, recipes, and more throughout the year to be included in our Short Story Dispenser collection. Content must be submitted through our Short Story site, which requires you to create a free account. Library staff will review all entries and notify content creators via email whether or not their content was selected. Check back here to see what other types of content we'll be seeking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to Create an Account

  1. Visit the Library's Short Story website to create an account.
  2. Type your first and last name in the input fields. You do not have to use your real name. It could be a pseudonym, username, etc.
  3. Enter your email address.
  4. Create a password, then re-type your password in the next input box to confirm it. Your password must be a minimum of 8 characters and include 1 uppercase letter, 1 lowercase letter, and 1 special character.
  5. Check the "By clicking on 'Create account', you confirm that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy" box.
  6. Click the orange "Create account" button.
  7. Check your inbox for the confirmation email. Please note, the confirmation email might be in your spam folder. If it's in there, locate and add contact@short-edition.com to your list of "safe senders" to receive future emails from the Short Story Dispenser.
  8. Click the link that's in the confirmation email to activate your account so you may begin submitting your ideas to our Short Story Dispenser.

How to Submit a Story

  1. Visit the Library's Short Story website.
  2. If you already created an account, click on the icon at the top-right of the page (desktop) or tap the three lines on the top-left of the screen (mobile device) to log in to your account with your email and password.
  3. Click or press "Enter" on your keyboard (desktop) or tap (mobile device) the orange "Login" button.
  4. Once you're logged in, you will see the Library's Short Story page (pictured below).
  5. Click the blue "Submit" button at the top-right of the page (desktop) or tap the blue "Submit" button on the top-left side of the screen (mobile device) to begin the submission process.
  6. Type in a title in the "Title" input field.
  7. In the large rectangular text area, type in your submission (your story, poem, recipe, etc.).
  8. In the "Literary Genre" input field, indicate to what genre your submission applies (Holiday Recipes, General Audience, Poetry, etc.).
  9. Once you're finished filling out your submission, click or tap the "I accept the conditions of submission" checkbox.
  10. Lastly, click or tap the blue "Submit" button at the bottom of the page.

That's it! The Library will contact you if there are any questions regarding your submission or whether or not your submission was approved.

Screenshot of Elk Grove Village Library's Short Story web page

Screenshot of the Library's Short Story web page.

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