Students in grades one through four got to witness the unveiling of a book vending machine, which now stands near the front desk of the library. It acts like a regular vending machine, with several choices for kids to pick including “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” “Judy Moody,” and “A Bad Case of the Stripes.”

To get a book, students must collect 100 tickets by exhibiting good behavior. Once they get this amount, they can get a bookworm coupon. This is then exchanged for a special coin, which can be deposited into the vending machine for a book. The book is then free for students to keep.

Jefferson Media Specialist Heidi Wilker said she learned about it from other schools. She said it provides students an incentive to read when they are given choices.

“This provides students a chance to pick out their own book,” Wilker said. “We find when kids pick out their own books, they are more motivated to read. When they have choice, they can do that.”

Jefferson Media Specialist Heidi Wilker holds a book she got from the vending machine after showing students how the machine works.

Because the tickets are earned through good behavior, Wilker said this also provides an incentive for students to show respect and accountability so they can save up tickets and get the books they want.

Wilker said she put a lot of thought into what books to put in the vending machine.

“[I wanted] a real variety and what the kids like,” she said. “Since I see all 600 plus kids, I know what goes out fast. I pick things that I thought they would like. We also can use our system to figure out what’s being checked out a lot.”

For each book available, six to eight copies were placed into the vending machine. Wilker said books will be replenished and sometimes replaced periodically.

“It’s like if you’re at the buffet and they run out of your favorite pizza,” she said. “You wait a little longer and they’ll have one you like.”

The machine cost around $7,000 to bring in. This doesn’t take into account the cost of ordering additional books for the machine. Through the ISD 88 Foundation, this project became a reality.

“[We] have those big dreams our budgets can’t do,” Wilker said. “To have [this funding] available has been incredibly beneficial. The excitement on our children’s faces was evidence of that. The support has been fantastic.”

Wilker said she hopes the vending machine gives Jefferson’s students independence and a strong sense of choice which will help them become stronger readers.