The Frisco ISD Library Services Department, with the assistance of the Frisco Education Foundation and the support of the community, has brought a passion project to life over the past year with the district’s new Book Bus.
This mobile library will visit multiple neighborhoods and allow students to have access to reading materials year round, even when school is out of session.
“The book bus is a FISD school bus retrofitted to be a portable library with free books,” campus librarian Chelsea Hamilton said. “We don’t have a route or locations yet, but at some point they will be posted on the FISD Library Services page. On those dates, the bus will be open for browsing. This is a great way to promote literacy and expand access to books.”
The bus itself was donated by the Transportation Department, with Facilities and Construction Services coordinating vendors to transform it into a mobile library. CTE Graphic Design students competed to create the bus wrap, and senior Kylie Gore was the winner.
“My role in all of this is to cooperate on the wrap that will go around the bus,” Gore said. “Which basically makes me the designer of the book bus, currently I’m working on getting the right files so the print company can make it happen.”
The book bus will provide more than just books, however. It offers read-aloud opportunities with librarians and staff all across the district, an exit slide at the back of the bus and ‘hangout spaces’ for students.
“In the age of technology and integrating that into a child’s life, books are still very important to our community, and that’s the consensus across the board,” Library Services director Amanda Butler said to Frisco ISD. “We want every child to have access to library materials. Reading builds a capacity for imagination, adventure, understanding, empathy — so many of the traits that we consider future-ready qualities.”
The main goal of the project is improving reading literacy, which has benefits such as stress relief, acting as a sleep aid, and slowing mental decline.
“Reading is one of the most important activities you can do to build critical thinking, empathy, and broaden your worldviews,” AP Literature and GT Humanities teacher Beth Evans said. “It helps you draw connections between what is happening in the world. The problem with anything these days is there is so much at your fingertips. You can have access to all the music, every book, but curating is so important.”
The project is one that is for the community, by the community. Through the mobile library, students have the opportunity to find the books that may otherwise be less accessible to them.
“The book bus is significant to the community because it will help to improve literacy rates in the community, because it will allow students to access books in their own neighborhoods removing any barriers that students may face,” senior Mahi Kosuri said. “I also think that it is really cool they are letting Frisco ISD students get involved and participate in the designing and decision making process.”
According to senior Juan Loaiza, the mobile library offers students more than just the books it’ll bring to them.
“The accessibility that the book bus provides will bring many more opportunities for the students,” Loaiza said. “I think that by implementing this project into our society, we are improving both the knowledge of our students and our capacity to become better humans and help others.”
Gore first started considering a career in graphic design two years ago and recognizes the importance of recognizing the arts, especially as AI advances.
“AI can’t bring that human touch that we bring, and art is not limited to just a canvas too,” Gore said. “I do hope that the book bus can maybe inspire someone. Whether that’s to read more or to see my design and learn earlier on that graphic design may be something they would enjoy, that is enough. I don’t think designers are given enough credit either, once I won this Book Bus opportunity I’ve been recognized by more and more people across Frisco. I hope that will be the same for the future designers and even current ones that don’t get the recognition they deserve.”
