We all know that reading is an important part of a child’s education. Teachers take steps at school to get kids interested in books, and many parents have collections of books at home for their children too.

But one school in New York has taken a unique approach to get their students interested in reading. They recently installed a vending machine that dispenses books instead of snacks.

The staff at Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction #61 in Buffalo, New York, worked for over a year to raise money for the project. Finally the time had come that their efforts paid off.

They unveiled the machine that sits in the corner of the school’s library and is filled with $1,000 worth of books. They hope the machine will act as an incentive for students to make regular trips to the library.

Students in grades kindergarten through 4th grade can borrow a book by earning tokens for the machine via a classroom rewards system. The books range in subject from fiction to cultural subjects.

School Board member Sharon Belton-Cottman said that literacy is one of the biggest issues to the school district, but they’re hoping this machine will make a difference.

“If our children can read, they can survive,” she said. Watch the video below and be sure to share this story with your family and friends. This school district might just be on to something!