The Ramara Township Public Library is bringing books to the community through a new book vending machine in Washago!
The project will make it easier for residents to access books and literacy resources outside of traditional library hours and closer to where they live, work and spend time. Located at Washago Home Hardware, the book vending machine will offer a selection of free library books for children, youth and adults to discover and enjoy.
The Library hopes to make reading more convenient, encourage a love of books and connect more residents with their local library. For people who may have difficulty travelling to a library branch, the vending machine provides another way to access books within their community.
This project is about more than a vending machine. It is about bringing the Library beyond its walls and making literacy and reading opportunities available where people already are. Through our partnership with the Friends of the Ramara Public Library and Washago Home Hardware, we are creating a new way for the community to discover a book, discover a story and stay connected to the Library.
Books on the go. Reading within reach. Your library, wherever you are.
Ramara Township is a large rural community. Our 10,377 residents live across 598.8 km² and nine settlement areas, but our two library branches are located in the southeast and southwest of the Township. This means that where you live can affect how easily you can access your public library.
Our Library's 2026 Community Consultation Survey identified distance and transportation as significant barriers for both library users and non users. The Township's 2023 to 2026 Strategic Plan has also identified transportation as a community weakness and recognizes the importance of strengthening access, connections, partnerships, programs and services.
The need is particularly important in Washago and surrounding northern communities, where residents do not have a nearby library branch. Travelling to a branch can be difficult for seniors, children and families, people with limited mobility, and residents without reliable access to a vehicle.
The Library wants to change this by bringing library services closer to the people who need them.
The book vending machine at Washago Home Hardware will provide free access to library books in a familiar, fully accessible community location with extended hours. Residents will be able to use their library card to borrow and return materials while also discovering the Library's digital resources, programs and other services.
This project is about more than providing books. It is about removing geographic and transportation barriers, supporting literacy and lifelong learning, and making sure that living in a rural community does not mean having less access to your public library.
By bringing the Library into the community, we can reach people where they already live, work and spend time.
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Great place to hang out!
This would be so helpful for members of the township who cannot access library services due to distance or lack of transportation.
Library vending machine
This is a great way to bring library services to a large, spread out area.
What an excellent idea to support our friends and neighbours at the far end of our township.
We love our library and would love to make borrowing/returning easy for everyone in our community. I work nights, so getting to the library isn’t always easy!