The N’Amerind Friendship Centre in London, Ontario recently unveiled their very own Inchy the Bookworm Book Vending Machine! This vending machine isn’t just filled with kid-friendly books to bolster a love for reading either, its authors are all indigenous peoples.

Promoting Diversity and Culture Through Education and Reading is Vital 

Reading is a pathway to learning for kids all over the globe, however, some places are disproportionately desolate of books, especially inclusive books by authors that children can identify with. This centre provides free tokens to the kids so they have a pass to a wide array of stories from indigenous authors to dive into.

Canadian nonprofit Start2Finish helped unveil Inchy’s original book vending machine at the Centre, the final of four book vending machines they’ve helped install in Canada for the Indigenous Literacy Enhancement Project in London.

Sheree Plain, the Akwe:Go program co-ordinator at The N'Amerind Friendship Centre Centre says that she “Feel[s] like the reconciliation part of this is important. To understand that it’s non-indigenous people and a non-indigenous organization that are helping with this.”

Brian Warren, the executive director of Start2Finish, had to say “What we wanted to do is make sure that we had culturally relevant literature that would allow them (the children) to see their identity not only for their families and reconnection to the land, but also to identify themselves.” The Indigenous Literacy Enhancement Project is sponsored by TD Bank and in partnership with First Book Canada, and Warren said that they will distribute around 8000 books to the various library machines that Start2Finish has helped install throughout Canada over the next 3 years.

The other machines are located throughout Canada, with two more in other Ontario cities (Toronto, Ottawa) and one in Alberta (Calgary). There is also the possibility of two more being launched in the Fall, with Atlantic Canada and the Manitoba city of Winnipeg as the landing spots. The ultimate goal? Expand the project as far as it can reach since COVID had restricted access to literature and education for a lot of kids in marginalized communities, says Warren.

Get a Custom-Wrapped Book Vending Machine!

Like the custom design used for the Centre’s book vending machine? Your own book machine can have a customized look too! Our machines all have the option to be wrapped in a unique design that can be just about anything you think of. Clipart kids celebrating reading and diversity? We can do that. Your school mascot? Easy. Something unique and dear to your town or city? Let’s do it. Check out our custom wrap page for more information.

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We’ve helped hundreds of schools and organizations make the reading dream a reality. Get started bringing the original book vending machine to your school today by calling us at (800).592.4220 or filling out an online contact form.