VENDING MACHINE
DELIVERS FAVORITE BOOKS
Every day, students enter the Curington Elementary School library and clamor around the vending machine. There’s no soda, no chips, no candy bars or gum – just books.
Curington is home to the Boerne ISD’s first book vending machine, a big hit with students and staff.
Leanne Boddie, in her second year as Curington’s library media specialist, explained the vending machine’s use, and how students earn the “golden tickets” and coins that allow them to purchase the books.
“Using the book fair money that we earned throughout the year last year, we were able to purchase a book vending machine,” Boddie said. The machine cost $6,140 and was purchased through Global Vending Group out of Buffalo, New York, arriving about three
Clementine, a Curington Elementary School fourth grader, pushes the appropriate buttons that will deliver her book, Stella, in the school library’s book vending machine. School librarian Leanne Boddie watches Clementine make her choice. Star photo by Jeff B. Flinn.
weeks ago.
Finn, a fourth grader, received his golden ticket, he said, “by being good in my camp and the library. She announced it, and I came to the vending machine, gave her the ticket, and got a coin. I put it into the machine and then I got my book.”
Finn purchased Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Old School, by Jeff Kinney, first published in 2015.
In contrast to school library books students check out and return, these books are theirs to keep The machine holds roughly 200 books, Boddie said, appealing to students of all ages, K-5.
Books available in the vending machine Thursday included Matilda, Star Wars: Guardian of the Whills, Who Was Helen Keller, James and The Giant Peach, What Is NASA?, Escape From The Titanic, Big Nate on A Roll, and Stella.
But Stella is no longer available. That’s because Clementine, a Curington fourth grader, inserted her coin into the vending machine, pushed the appropriate buttons, and watched as the machine delivered her book -- much like vending machines drop Coca Colas, Butterfingers and Lays Chips into the retrieval bin.
“I heard it’s a really good book. I’ve read a book like it, and I think they are kind of the same,” Clementine said. “One of my friends told me that it's kind of sad, but it’s a really good story about a dog.”
Parker, a fourth grader, was excited that his class will announce two recipients of a golden ticket in about two weeks, hoping he gets one.
“If I get it, I’m still deciding on a book, but my first choice right now is, ‘What Is NASA,’” Parker said. “Usually there’s books about ‘Who Was,’ and this is the first ‘What Is’ book I’ve seen.”
Each row in the vending machine holds about six or seven books that are pushed to the front by a rotating coil. Boddie stocks the books after several have been purchased.
The vending machine enforces good behavior and exemplary performance in the library and classrooms.
Bryan Benway, Boerne ISD director of communications, said other schools throughout the district have seen or heard about the machine and are developing plans to purchase their own.
“When we first took pictures of this, several PTOs saw it and they are already working toward getting one for their campus,” he said. “It’s fun to watch the other campuses say, ‘Oh, this would be really neat to have, as a way to motivate our kids.”
Boddie said next week’s golden ticket goes to students for optimistic thinking, among the positive traits that Boddie and classroom teachers want to instill in their students – and reward them for achieving.
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