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Kids Are Obsessing Over New Book Vending Machine Installed At School

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Do you ever get the feeling that the only news you ever hear in this world is bad news? There is a reason why it seems to be so prevalent, bad news sells. The network news carriers understand that fact and even Internet websites often realize that putting bad news online is going to get more eyeballs and therefore, more ad revenue. If you’re anything like me, however, sometimes you just want to hear something good and that is what this story is designed to do.

A school located in Buffalo, New York has broken all the rules by installing a vending machine filled with books. The kids absolutely love it! It happened at Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction #61 in late November. The school was holding a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the addition of the new book vending machine. Students were even provided with special golden coins to put into the slot and choose some reading material.

Video from the unveiling showed one girl putting a coin into the slot, choosing her number and then collecting The Best School Year Ever, a book when it dropped down into the tray. She held it over her head and the photographs were being taken.

Principal Parette Walker said that the vending machine is available to all students at the school. Those students are pre-k through fourth grade.

“We’re not basing it on behavior,” she said. “We’re not basing it on attendance, so that everyone will have a chance to receive a book. There will be a monthly rotation of all students.”

An idea that they have is to allow children to bring books from home and start their own library. One of the school board members, Sharon Belton-Cottman said that the vending machine is hopefully going to encourage parents to ‘focus on reading’.

“One of the biggest issues we have in this district is literacy,” she explained. “If our children can read, they can survive.”

The vending machine cost $2,000 and was acquired from The Community Action Organization. They also filled it with books at a cost of $1,000 and, thanks for Teacher’s Desk, it will be restocked. They are a non-profit school supply store.

People on Twitter are going crazy over the idea and talking about doing the same at their own school. Even Authors are happy with the project and are offering to fill it with their own books.

The most important critics, the kids that go to Authur O. Even School of Distinction had plenty of positive feedback to give. “Very cool,” Cameron, a third-grader, said. “Now, I get to get books for free. I’m very excited.”