# Free Book Vending Machines JetBlue Launches a Free Book Vending Machine as Part of #BookBattle By Punya | Published 2015-07-15 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jetblue-launches-free-book-vending-machines-for-children-washington-dc References: [marketwired](http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/jetblue-launches-national-bookbattle-defeat-summer-slide-replenish-book-deserts-nasdaq-jblu-2036500.htm) & [mhpbooks](http://www.mhpbooks.com/jetblues-book-vending-machines/) [JetBlue Airways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jetblue-1) has launched a National #BookBattle in partnership with [Random House Children's Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-book-of-money) for its fifth annual Soar With Reading Program to combat the lack of books in low-income areas. A pilot project of this initiative sees the placement of free age-appropriate book vending machines in the Southeast of Washington D.C., selected after a study concluded that the Anacostia section of D.C. is a "book desert" where residents have little access to children's books. [Childhood literacy expert](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/childhood-literacy), Susan Neuman, claims that there is a huge disparity in access to books nationally. In the Anacostia neighborhood, there is access to only one age-appropriate book per 830 children. President Obama recently launched an initiative to get major publishers to provide free e-books to low-income students as part of his ConnecEd program. Five cities – Detroit, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and New York City -- are competing through online public voting in the #BookBattle for a chance for one of their communities to receive 100,000 new children's books. Since 2011, the Soar with Reading program has donated more than $1,250,000 worth of books to children in need. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.3/10 - Popularity: 23% | Activity: 39% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Free Book Vending Machines:** Opportunity for other companies and organizations to launch free book vending machines in low-income areas to promote childhood literacy. - **Book Deserts:** Identification of book deserts in other cities and neighborhoods, leading to efforts to increase access to free or low-cost age-appropriate books for children. - **Digital Initiatives for Childhood Literacy:** Exploration of digital platforms and partnerships with publishers to provide free e-books to low-income students, further supporting childhood literacy initiatives. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Education:** Collaboration between education institutions, publishers, and community organizations to address book deserts and promote childhood literacy. - **Transportation:** Opportunity for transportation companies to implement community-focused initiatives like free book vending machines to support childhood literacy and engage with local communities. - **Publishing:** Partnerships with airlines, transportation companies, and educational organizations to provide free or discounted books, both physical and digital, to low-income children. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Book Vending Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cornwall-public-library.md) - [QSR Book Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/expand-book-access.md) - [Youth-Targeted Reading Tournaments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/great-reading-tournament.md) - [Open-Air Libraries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ikea-billyotheque.md) - [Book-Inspired Public Benches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sit-down-to-read.md) - [Children-Focused Literacy Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/literacy-campaigns.md) - [Library-Based Inequity Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/latin-america-memorial-library.md) - [Pizza-Branded Reading-Encouraging Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-it-app.md) - [Banned Books Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banned-books.md)