In 2015, an unusual vending machine came to Anacostia, a Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Unlike conventional vending machines, it had no money slot; the items were dispensed for free. Nor were these items traditional vending-machine fare. Rather, they were an extraordinarily rare find in Anacostia: children’s books. The neighborhood is a book desert, a geographic area in which books are in extremely short supply. Some low-income families living in book deserts own no books at all. It is clear that exposure to books is important for language development. But exposure alone won’t improve literacy, because studies have demonstrated a link between academic achievement and book possession. The vending machines address this issue by expanding children’s personal libraries.
Select all the details that are included in the text.
Owning books improves students’ performance in school more than just reading books.
Books can help children improve their language skills.
To increase book ownership, vending machines that dispense free books have been installed.
People with low income may be reluctant to use libraries because of late fees.
