Teaming up with AT&T, Barnes & Noble, Inc. will install free wi-fi at the company's 777 bookstores around the country.

In the release, the company stressed that wi-fi hookup will allow shoppers to download titles from the company's newly created digital library of 700,000 e-book titles. In a sci-fi twist, customers can choose to receive "personalized messages" from the bookseller via their wireless device whenever they enter the bookstore--receiving coupons, author appearance news, and other information.

Barnes & Noble CEO Steve Riggio described the initiative: "Barnes & Noble pioneered the concept of retail stores as community centers ... By providing no-fee Wi-Fi access, we are not only meeting our customers' needs, but extending the sense of community that has always been in our stores." (Via Publishers Lunch)