Vending

Book vending machine targets rural reading gap in Washington

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September 11, 2026

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Save the Children is partnering with Washington state's Lake Quinault School District to install a book vending machine that will allow students to select free books using tokens provided by teachers. The project is part of the nonprofit's Learn Without Limits campaign, which seeks to ensure children can read proficiently by third grade, according to a DailyFly report.

The machine will include Spanish-language books and titles reflecting Indigenous cultures represented in the community. Students will be allowed to keep the books, providing additional reading materials to families that might not otherwise be able to purchase them.

Save the Children reports that children in rural Washington read nearly a full grade level behind students in urban and suburban communities. The organization also found that rural families in the state earn nearly $40,000 less annually than other families, while many rural children live more than 30 miles from a childcare center.