Book Vending Machines

Let us help!

This summer, for the first time ever, JetBlue is placing five thoughtfully designed digital book vending machines that provide brand-new, free books for kids aged 0 – 14 in Newark, NJ. Kids are allowed to order as many books as they are interested in – no strings attached — in hopes that providing free access to books in a fun and convenient way will encourage reading.

For more information on the research surrounding this program conducted by child literacy expert Susan Neuman, visit our Research and Impact page.

VENDING MACHINES LOCATED AT:

La Casa De Pedro

23 Broadway

The Leaguers

200 W. South Orange Avenue

Newark Ironbound Recreation Center

226 Rome Street

Springfield Branch Library

50 Hayes Street

Van Buren Branch Library

140 Van Buren Street

Let us help you build your child’s library!

FAQ’s about our book vending machines:

How are vending machine sites selected?

We work closely with local community leaders, educators and community organizations to identify cities within our network and neighborhoods that would benefit most from these additional resources. Once we identify neighborhoods, we research high traffics areas where kids and families frequent and visit often, especially during the summer months. There are also several logistical requirements that need to be considered in order to host a vending machine.

How about donating books to several cities throughout the summer?

We’ve had success in building impactful partnerships within the communities hosting vending machines over the past several years. The response to this holistic approach has been overwhelmingly positive year over year. Our research also shows that we have greater impact when we focus our summer book donation in one city rather than making smaller donations in multiple cities.

How are the cities where vending machines are placed chosen?

The vending machine cities are chosen based on several criteria, including a commitment to cities where JetBlue flies and where book deserts exist. Through our research, book deserts have been identified as high poverty communities that have limited access to age appropriate books for children. To date, JetBlue and our partners have donated over $3 million worth of books through the Soar with Reading program. Since launching our free book vending machine initiative, we’ve brought our book vending machines to Washington, DC; Detroit, MI; Fort Lauderdale, FL, and San Francisco, CA donating 100,000 books to children in each of these cities.

How do I get my book into your vending machines?

We work closely with our publishing partners to cultivate a comprehensive and diverse book selection to include in the vending machines. These books are thoughtfully selected based on several criteria, including the dimensions required to vend properly, diverse titles and subject matter, and age appropriateness.