Vending

Indigenous literacy project brings book vending machine to Canadian school

Andrei Antipov - stock.adobe.com

May 27, 2026

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Students at East Carling Public School in Ontario now have access to a new book vending machine designed to promote literacy and increase exposure to Indigenous voices and diverse authors, according to an Education News Canada report.

The machine was installed through Start2Finish's Indigenous Literacy Enhancement Project and offers students free books they can keep and share with their families.

The vending machine features books by Indigenous authors and artists, along with titles representing other diverse communities within the school. School officials said the initiative is intended to make reading more engaging while helping students build personal home libraries and develop a lasting interest in literacy.

Teachers can reward students who are "caught reading" with tokens that can be used in the machine to select a free book. The program was officially unveiled on May 13 during a celebration involving Oneida language students at the school.

Principal Susanne Young said the project will help students and families access stories that reflect Indigenous experiences and histories in Canada while strengthening a sense of belonging within the school community.

Start2Finish said the literacy initiative supports students in grades 1 through 8 across Canada by highlighting Indigenous and other culturally diverse voices and encouraging children to see themselves represented in literature.