The Clark County Public Schools “Book Bus” has had an extreme makeover and is ready to roll.

What began last year as a three times a week operation, hauling books in totes in the back of a trailer has now transformed into a colorful bus with a built-in miniature library.

Superintendent Paul Christy said the idea to start the Book Bus was inspired by an recreational vehicle that had been donated to CCPS and used to create the mobile food services lab for summer feeding a years ago.

Last year, employees

followed the RV with a vehicle and a trailer to transport books, but this year, was able to upgrade to a bigger, better bus.

Christy said he was thrilled with last year’s turnout and expects it to continue to grow with the new bus.

“What really amazed me was how many high school students were taking advantage of it,” he said.

Christy Fulks Bush, CCPS Title I Component Specialist, said she hopes to get the bus out into the community starting this week and plans to travel throughout  town five times a week and going beyond the regular summer feeding hours.

The Book Bus will follow the summer feeding bus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but Bush said she plans to have the Book Bus driver go to different places in the community in addition to those hours.

Each student receives one free book each trip to the Book Bus. Students get to keep the books.

“Every child gets one book, brand new free book,” Bush said. “So if they come five days a week, they can get five free books.”

Bush said some people had donated books, and CCPS purchased the remaining books from Barnes & Noble through grant or Title I funds.

A few CCPS bus drivers have already volunteered to drive the Book Bus around town, and teachers seem excited to volunteer to run the mobile library, Bush said.

Bush said the idea to do a mobile book bus was to get students excited about reading, promote literacy and to provide an avenue for which children can access books.

“I just want to make sure that every student has an opportunity to have the printed word in their hands,” Bush said.