With last Monday’s launch of Knoxville Area Transit’s (KAT’s) Books on Buses program, already over 600 books have been distributed on buses running throughout the city.  The summer program’s slogan, “Take a book; bring a book to share.  Enjoy the read; enjoy the ride” encourages passengers to grab a new book as they enter the bus.  Books can be taken and read, then returned, all for free.

“Books take you places, and so do buses,” says Mary Pom Claiborne, Assistant Director, Marketing Communications and Development for Knox County Public Library, a partner in the program. “By making books available for free throughout the city’s transit system, we are encouraging people of all ages to enjoy reading.”

The books range from children’s picture books that can be read on the bus and returned, to young adult, and fiction and non-fiction for adults.  In addition, a new bookshelf at the Knoxville Station Transit Center allows for more extended browsing of books.

The Friends of the Knox County Public Library – the non-profit organization of volunteers that supports the library system – has donated the books for the program as part of their Books in the Community program.  The Friends group will continue to supply books to KAT throughout the summer.

“Reading is both essential and fun,” says Rusha Sams, President of the Friends of the Knox County Public Library. “There are so many benefits, from lower stress levels to improved vocabulary. Having books accessible to students over the summer helps reduce that summer reading lag, making students more prepared for fall success in school.”

In addition to book donations by the Friends organization, the public and passengers are also encouraged to bring any used books to donate.  “It’s like a combination of a bookmobile and Little Free Library, all on public transit,” says Sams.