From the Daily News:
A cash-strapped Queens library has found an unusual way to raise revenue: selling soda, chips and candy.
The Queens Library recently installed two vending machines stocked with unhealthy snacks near the entrance of its Long Island City branch.
But after calls from the Daily News, library President Thomas Galante reached out to Sterling Vending on Thursday and requested that more nutritious items be included.
“The library always supports the healthiest eating habits and supports the health and well-being of the community,” said library spokeswoman Joanne King.
King said the vending machines were installed within the last month because there aren’t many stores nearby where children can pick up snacks.
The library is using the branch as a pilot to see how the vending machines “work out,” she said.
A portion of the proceeds goes toward supporting after-school programs.
But King also previously told The News that the machines “only sell healthy snacks, like fruit juice and healthy snack packs” and that patrons can only eat in certain parts of the branch.
That wasn’t the case earlier in the week.
