BOUNTIFUL—Sixth-grade teacher Robin Lefevre has had a hard time getting kids to read since school started in the fall. In an effort to make reading fun again, she has come up with a plan to install a book vending machine at the school.

“They were totally struggling to read,” she said. “All they wanted was to just use the computer. I told them, pick up a book and read.”

Lefevre said she heard about this school in Texas who had a book vending machine. “I thought it would be a good way to get books back into the kids’ hands and get them reading again.”

So she did some research and found a company in California that made vending machines that take coins. “Kids can earn coins for good behavior or anything a teacher chooses and they can use the coins to buy books,” Lefevre said. “It holds up to 300 new books and they can see the books that are available right then. There’s a variety of books for all grades, picture books and chapter books.”

Typically the PTA has a book sale at the school during parent/teacher conferences but Lefevre thinks the vending machine is a good alternative. “Parents aren’t having to buy a book for $5 or $6,” she said. “What kid doesn’t want to go to a vending machine? It’s more appealing to be able to choose a book they’re interested in reading.”

Lefevre is trying to raise money to get the machine so she’s set up a GoFundMe page and put it on Facebook and Instagram. “It cost about $4,200 for the machine and $700 for shipping,” she said. “The company custom builds it and installs it.”

She’s also sending letters out to local businesses for donations. “My goal is to have the company’s name on it,” said Lefevre. “I’d love to see the PTA get involved in donating books and get grants to buy books. The Davis Education Foundation also has a certain amount of money that teachers can apply for. I’d like to get regular donations to help replenish the books.”

Lefevre hopes to raise enough money to have it installed by fall. “As a teacher I want it to be a motivating thing,” she said. “You can tie it in, in so many ways and kids can go buy a book at the vending machine.”

The GoFundMe link for the book vending machine project is https://gofund.me/ba770e27.