State Senators, ACLA and ACJ Cut the Ribbon on a Book Vending Machine
Published on July 22, 2025
For the past month, children entering the Allegheny County Jail visiting lobby have been greeted by a talking, multi-colored, light-changing vending machine.
On Monday, July 21, the vending machine, which dispenses books, rather than beverages and snacks, was officially christened at the ACJ as state Sen. Jay Costa and state Sen. Lindsey Williams joined representatives from the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) and the ACJ for a ribbon-cutting event.
“We at ACLA want to always do our best to reach the people where they are,” said ACLA CEO Amy Anderson, “and how better to reach people through books and provide opportunities for families to read books together, wherever that may be?”
Children can receive a free token from jail officers at the front desk and feed the machine to select a book. They can then take the book home to add to their personal collections. The machine is one of several that will be placed at strategic locales in Allegheny County.
The collaboration between the jail, ACLA and local state senators was largely the brainchild of Carrie Lane, the ACLA Youth Services Coordinator.
Lane read about a similar county program in Alabama and thought it could work in Allegheny County. Lane reached out to senators Costa and Williams, who secured grant funding for the project. The jail was the first location to feature a vending machine, with a second unit to follow at Family Court. Lane said ACLA is currently in talks to place vending machines at two other locations.
“Our goals with these vending machines were to place them in locations similar to the ones in Alabama, where children and teens might be in a challenging or complex situation,” Lane said. “We also wanted to help them build home libraries.”
The machine originally arrived at the jail in May and began dispensing books in June. Connie Clark, the jail’s Deputy Warden for Programming and Services, coordinated with Lane to receive the machine and set it up for public consumption.
Lane personally cultivated the vending machine offerings and included several titles that include characters with incarcerated loved ones.
“There is something for everyone in there – all ages, all interests,” Lane said. “(We) wanted to make sure the child or the teen saw themselves in the books.”
At Monday’s event, Clark acknowledged visiting a jail can be “scary” and “overwhelming” – particularly for children.
“This gives us an opportunity to provide a more positive option for people coming in here so they can leave here with having (had) a better experience than what they may have (had) in other correctional facilities and making the best out of what can be a very stressful situation,” Clark said.
Following the speeches at the podium, Costa, Williams, Anderson, Lane and Clark cut the yellow ribbon draped across the machine to officially mark its entry into the facility. Costa and Williams took turns using the tokens to dispense books.
Sen. Williams, who represents parts of Pittsburgh and the North Hills, spoke with a librarian in her district who told her that books can function as both a “mirror” and a “window.” Readers can see themselves reflected in the literature, while the books can also offer a view to “other worlds.”
“The bottom line is that books change lives,” Williams said. “I’m so grateful that the ACLA has done all of this to get more books into the hands of kids and meet them where they are.”
Media inquiries may be directed to Jesse Geleynse, Public Information Officer for the Allegheny County Jail
jesse.geleynse@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-350-1267 or 412-760-4760 (cell).