Allentown, PA – The Allentown School District is excited to announce an exciting new initiative that promotes literacy, engagement, and a positive school culture through the installation of book vending machines in schools across the District.
Each machine will be filled with diverse, high-interest titles that students can “purchase” using special tokens earned for positive behavior, academic achievement, or reading milestones. Students get to keep the books they select, building their own home libraries while celebrating the joy of reading.
“Literacy is the foundation for all learning. This initiative connects positive behavior, academic achievement, and access to diverse books that inspire students to see themselves as readers and thinkers,” Dr. Carol D. Birks, Superintendent of the Allentown School District, said. “By transforming reading into an engaging, student-centered experience, we are cultivating a culture of intellectual growth that extends beyond the classroom and into our families' homes and the community.”
The District will install 25 book vending machines and purchase 50 book sets to ensure each school maintains a variety of books chosen in partnership with our school librarians and that represent student interests. Installation will begin in the coming months.
The book vending machines serve as an innovative way to make reading fun and accessible. The initiative empowers students to take ownership of their learning and reinforces the district’s commitment to reading as the foundation for future success. This initiative directly supports the District’s Strategic Plan, Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030, by advancing literacy and lifelong learning, and empowering families through a shared culture of reading that extends from home to school.
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