Caribou Community School’s innovative book vending machine motivates students to read and increases access to books, fostering lifelong readers in the community.
When Caribou Community School opened its doors in the fall of 2021, there was a new vending machine. Instead of vending snacks or drinks, it dispenses free books which students choose by using special coins that they earn from teachers and staff.
In today’s world, it seems harder than ever to encourage a love for reading among students, but at Caribou Community School, the book vending machine provides a unique strategy for adding a little excitement into reading while putting new book titles in the hands of their learners.
April Belyea, President of Eastern Aroostook Education Association, describes the book vending machine as a blessing. “It has been a great way to motivate students to read and engage in school.” April teaches second grade at Caribou Community School which serves students grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
This helps put books in the hands of kids who might not have the same access to ordering books in other ways—like book orders or book fairs.
April Belyea
President, Eastern Aroostook EA
A growing trend in schools, book vending machines are used as a reward incentive for students who demonstrate good behavior. Instead of entering money into the machine, students earn coins from educators at school that they can exchange for books.
“Our school administrator had seen a book vending machine at another Maine school,” Belyea says. “When we were building our new school, we knew this would be a great addition to our school community.”
Students in Belyea’s class earn coins by working on their reading goals at home, but coins can also be given out by other educators at the school for students who go above and beyond as a school citizen.
Belyea says the book vending machine—which was funded by a private benefactor—has been a great way to incentivize and create excitement around reading, and perhaps more importantly, increase access to books.
“This helps put books in the hands of kids who might not have the same access to ordering books in other ways—like book orders or book fairs,” Belyea says.
Once a student earns a coin, they can select a brand-new book directly from the machine. The school’s library media specialist manages the vending machine. She stocks the books with titles that are popular with students, and in a variety of levels for the pre-kindergarten through grade eight students at Caribou.
“Our library media specialist is an essential part of the project because she knows what kids are reading,” Belyea says. “It is important to have someone choosing the books that will be desirable to our students.”
When the book supply is low, the library media specialist restocks the vending machine with new books utilizing funds donated by the private benefactor. This ensures that students can continue to foster an excitement for reading throughout the school year.
Caribou Community School’s book vending machine is more than a tool for handing out free books and rewarding positive behavior in the school community, it is an effort to encourage kids to become life-long learners.
“Having this book vending machine has been a great addition to our school community;” Belyea says. “Seeing the excitement of our students when they get to pick out a book to bring home, and the confidence that they are gaining as readers, has been the greatest reward.”
