DONALDSONVILLE - A new book vending machine put up by the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office encourages literacy and good citizenship in Donaldsonville.

Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre said he believes education sets children up for success.

"Everything we can do to improve literacy, especially amongst our kids, we want to be a part of that," Webre said.

The vending machine is in the Hickley M. Waguespack Center and Study Commons. Sheriff Webre hopes the books inspire children and lead them in the right direction.

"The community knows some of the challenges we have with our juvenile justice system and juveniles going into our justice system. You know what? I would rather build a park, build a study commons. I would rather offer books than have to build a juvenile center," Webre said.

The machine was donated to the parish by Atmos Energy and is an expansion of the Sheriff's Office Prime Time Reading Program. Children do not buy the books. Instead, they use special coins earned by doing good deeds in the community.

"Going to school on time, not being disrespectful in school, good grades, coming here and showing positive attitudes," Coordinating Manager for the Center and Study Commons Michael Brooks said.

All the books are geared toward elementary-level readers and are selected by the Prime Time reading organization and Ascension Parish Library. The last step? Deputies stock the machine with the books selected.

"The importance of giving a kid another opportunity to better themselves. Books were comforting to me as a child," Brooks said. "We're just trying to make sure that lives on to the next generation, that's all."