iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I bought a smaller car this summer - it turns out that 13 boxes of books fit in a Subaru! The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Friends of the Library sale is on, every day from 10-7 at Albemarle Square, until next Sunday. It's our biggest source of used books and we are well-stocked.

A bunch of banker's boxes full of books in the back of a Subaru

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Back to Greenstone, where everyone wanted to "practice driving" today 😊 We gave out a mix of books - everything from cookbooks to English language learning to Bluey coloring books

Three young bus guests, including twins, pose for a picture after selecting books and art supplies

An elementary school boy "practices" driving in the front seat of the parked bus

An elementary school girl "practices" driving in the front seat of the parked bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Introducing Emily ThomasClarke, our new program assistant! Emily will be taking the bus to some stops, which will allow us to say yes to more school events in particular. Emily has experience working with young children, environmental camps, and children with autism and ADHD. (More in alt text)

Our new program assistant, Emily, stand on the book bus. She's been accompanying me on stops since late June while learning to drive the bus, and will do her first solo stop this week!

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

After choosing books at our Friday stop, one guest did a little boxing practice with everyone's favorite plush strawberry jam 🍓📚

In the background on the Book Bus, an elementary school girl plays with the plush strawberry jam hanging from the ceiling. Emily, our new assistant, is in the foreground.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Kids at Greenstone loved picking out cute new pencil sharpeners, and all the new Bluey books. Thanks to Lynne Herman from Jackson-Via Elementary School for coming to see her students!

Emily, the new Book Bus program assistant, shows a book to a small Bus guest

Lynne Herman, a teacher from Jackson-Via, standing on the book bus while some of her students' younger siblings choose books

Cute Japanese pencil sharpeners in capybara, chick, axolotl, and astronaut animal styles

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

We are really feeling the community love after today's event at Jack Brown's! You all donated 60 (!) new graphic novels, manga, & picture books from Hello Comics, many in Spanish. It was really fun to introduce new people to the bus, and I am extremely grateful for the restock. Thank you!

The Free Book Bus is shown parked on Charlottesville's downtown mall's brick pavers, with a large piano mural to the right.

A woman wearing a Free Book Bus T-shirt holds up donations to the Bus, including dog man in Spanish and the babysitters club in Spanish and English

Greg, the manager of Jack Brown's, with some of the Book donations for the Bus

A picture of almost all of the 60 donations we received today

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

We have a public event tomorrow! We will be parked on the downtown mall next to Jack Brown's Beer & Burger from 3-5pm. Please come check out the bus, pick out a book, and perhaps a burger & beverage from Nepenthe Brewing Co. (more in alt text)

A graphic with a tan background and red lettering that states "brews
for books" Sunday, August 9th, 3 to 5 PM

(Details: This If you like, Hello Comics downtown has a list of our most-wanted graphic novels available for purchase and donation to the bus. ✨🚌✨)

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Greenstone stop! This was the last time for the prize table until next summer - once school starts back up, we switch to providing school supplies onboard. Thanks to teacher Lynne Herman from Jackson-Via Elementary School for coming along to see her students, and to Stephanie for facilitating.

Two girls pose at the back door of the bus

Kids choose books on the Book Bus while teacher Lynne Herman helps studentswith the art supplies

Kids choosing summer prizes outside the book bus

Elementary and preschool students choose books on the book bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

We are extremely grateful to the Party Parade Fund of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation for awarding the Book Bus a $5,000 grant to support those we serve through the purchase of new books, art and school supplies, and hygiene products. Thank you!

A light blue background with confetti, ribbons and balloons on it with the text that reads thank you party parade fund! At the bottom are logos for the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, and The Free Book Bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Preschoolers at A Mother’s Touch Childcare in Charlottesville loved trying out the driver’s seat, pressing ALL the buttons, and picking out books this morning. Toddlers are lots of fun on the bus, since everything is new and exciting 😊

Childcare staff posing in front of the bus with kids and babies

A little boy who had just finished trying out the steering wheel and pushing all the buttons turns around to watch his friends picking out books

One of the childcare staff wearing a baby carrier holds a baby while they look at a book together

A little boy tries out the steering wheel and the driver’s seat on the bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

We went back to the Piedmont Family YMCA teen/young adult camp today, and kids picked out books and prizes. The third picture is campers at a museum with their new camp mascot “Dani the Dino,” who they picked out on our first visit, and now participates in all camp activities (see photo captions)

This camper was so excited about finding Comics that she literally jumped up and down when she saw them. Special thanks to Hello Comics for keeping us so well-stocked!

Campers and staff in front of the Book Bus pose with their books, along with Sharon and Book Bus assistant Emily.

A picture of two teen campers playfully putting the stuffed animal camp mascot in the jaws of an alligator model at a museum. Dani is being eaten by an alligator, but survived unharmed 😊

the best thank you note from camp (used with permission) 🥹 it reads “Ms. Sharon and team thank you so much for visiting the YMCA’s adaptive camp this summer! We loved getting to pick out books and toys and having Dani the Dino as our new mascot has been a blast. We appreciate you! YMCA’s adaptive camp.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Greenstone stop with JMRL’s Bookmobile! Kids loved picking out toys (squishy things are very popular) and books, plus, art kits made with donated materials from The Scrappy Elephant ✨🚌✨🎨📚

A boy on the bus holds a donated art kit from The Scrappy Elephant

A bus guest looks over different books on the Book Bus

Kids and a Bus volunteer at the prize table

The library bookmobile is pictured in the Greenstone parking lot

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

We are extremely grateful for $12,370 in recent community grants! These funds will help us purchase new books, art/school supplies, hygiene items, and support operational costs like diesel fuel and bus repairs. Thank you!!

Thank you
to CACF's Vibrant Community
Fund, the Community Foundation of Central Blue Ridge, The Community Foundation of Western NC (The Penny Fund), & a local endowment board for $12,370 in recent generous grants!

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

OK, yes, but it was $4 at The Salvation Army and the kids are going to love it

A giant, pink blue and yellow stuffed Squishmallow plush cupcake that fills the driver’s seat of the book bus is pictured. It has a smiley face, pink fabric frosting, yellow cake, a blue striped cup, and sprinkles.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Here’s to the beginnings of a staff-led book group for some of the boys at Liberty Point Behavioral Healthcare! They’re starting with some classic 90s Goosebumps by R.L. Stine 😊

A staff member outside of a building holds up five Goosebumps paperbacks

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

One of the kids at Rita's Bright Beginnings greeted me with “I haven’t seen you in 10,000 months,” since it had been almost a year since my last visit 😊 These preschoolers & young elementary students enjoyed picking out books, using the pencil sharpener, & selecting a prize.

The boy on the white shirt is the one who hadn’t seen me in so many months 😊 Pictured are several young boys on the book bus who are holding books and bouncy balls

A preschool girl wearing a striped shirt with strawberries on it looks at a giant stuffed strawberry jam toy on the book bus.

Two brothers sharpen pencils on the book bus

A preschool girl selects a toy duck on the book bus.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Went down to Tye River Elementary School for a visit to their enrichment and Excel programs for pre-k through 12th yesterday. Kids loved choosing 289 books to take home and the reappearance of the summer prize table 😊

Preschool kids holding books on the bus with their teachers

These comics fans excitedly discovered the big bin of comics on the bus

Three elementary girls, one in an electric wheelchair, pose on the bus with their books

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

We are hiring a program assistant starting in July! Job is very flexible, 5-10 hours per week. Please contact us at freebookbus@gmail or share this with someone who might be a good fit.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

We are very grateful to The Bama Works Fund and Charlottesville Area Community Foundation for a $5,000 grant that will help us keep the bus stocked and on the road! It means so much that they have supported The Free Book Bus for multiple years.

A light blue background with flying books and yellow stars with green grass and an image of a yellow School Bus. A red cartoon style Book who looks excited is standing on the Bus roof - the image text states “Thank you, Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band!”

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Pictures from Tuesday’s stop at 6th St. with PHAR and CommunityBikes (fixing bikes at Westhaven). The last photo is the result of me ordering Tintin books without noticing it was a GIGANTIC special edition! Kids are going to love this oversized version 😊

Two girls sit in the driver’s seat of the Book Bus at a stop trying out the steering wheel and all the buttons

Jake from Community Bikes rolling out the repair cart at Westhaven at our joint stop

An absolutely gigantic edition of the Tintin book the secret of the unicorn

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

We were happy to donate books to first graders at Greer Elementary recently! Albemarle HS student teachers Brianna T. and Beatrice O. worked with the first graders this year. Here they are saying thanks for the books 😊

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Presenting: my smallest bus guest from today, Mozart, the long-haired chihuahua, who is a beloved member of the Elk Hill Staunton school community 😊 Today was my over-the-mountain day to Elk Hill, Keys Academy in Verona, and Liberty Point Behavioral Healthcare.

A tiny, happy, black and white, long-haired chihuahua is posing, paws first, on a green upholstered ottoman on the book bus.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

This family of readers took a moment this afternoon to read a Lego book together. They chose a combination of picture books and read-alouds to take home 😊

Two boys read a Lego book with their mom on the bus. The younger boy has carefully lined up four National Geographic joke books on the floor.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Albemarle County’s TLC post-high school program had their spring festival today, along with students from Greene County. All the kids were excited to see their friends, play games, and eat lunch outside after visiting the book bus ✨🚌✨

A post-high school student looks for books on the bus

A post-high school student looks for books on the bus with her teacher

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

We were back at Greenstone today with two Jackson-Via Elementary School teachers, Ms. Herman and Ms. Sloan. The kids are always so delighted to see their teachers out and about 😊 Picture books, board books, and coloring books were popular today - many students are bilingual at this stop!

Ms. Herman greets her students and siblings on the book bus

Elementary age students look for books on the bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

High schoolers from Albemarle County’s Newcomer Learning Community on the bus this morning. I will miss visiting these students and teachers next year, as the students and staff are moving to other schools.

High school students with their teacher on the book bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

The price of filling up the bus 😳 Thanks to everyone who has donated in the last year for helping us keep the bus on the road!

A picture of a gas station gauge showing $137.76 for 23.755 gallons of diesel

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

I loved this teen’s book selections at Albemarle County’s Trailhead Learning Center today, representing both the modern and the classic 😊

Hands holding two books: The Great Gatsby and a graphic comic “Spider-Man and Mary Jane.”

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

That’s a wrap for this year’s Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Friends sale, taking our literal truckload of books home to put on the bus and shelves back at book bus HQ 😊 half price day at the sale starts this Saturday!

A man is in the process of putting a tarp on about 20 boxes of assorted books in the back of a pickup truck

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Actual footage of me yesterday at the book sale - my reel from 2024 still applies 😊 JMRL Friends of the Library sale is on all week at Albemarle Square in Charlottesville, 10-7!

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

It was a triple-header today at Greenstone with Community Bikes, Jackson-Via teacher Mrs. Herman, and representatives from IRC Charlottesville! Kids enjoyed picking out books, pencils, bookmarks, getting their bikes fixed, and of course, yelling into the bus fan 😊 more pics in comments

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Pre-K through 5th graders at Tye River Elementary School were excited to pick out 145 books this morning to take home! Sharks, unicorns, coloring books, and beginning reader books were popular today.

Two young students smile after picking out books and crayons on the book bus.

A small group of elementary students choose books on the book bus.

A boy sits on the floor to read his new book on the book bus.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Parents joined students on the bus today at ACPS Newcomer Learning Center. Spanish, Chinese, and Farsi are a few of the languages kids speak at home, and parents enjoyed picking out books to further their English studies.

Parents and students on the book bus look through the book selection

Even big kids like playing the tiny piano! Some of the high school students are pictured on the bus and one of them is sitting on the floor playing the tiny red piano.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Books, bikes, and sharpening pencils were the activities today at our first spring stop at Townwood with Sin Barreras and Community Bikes ✨🚌✨

A kid wheels away their new bike from the community bikes tent

A young reader sits on the floor of the Book Bus with her new books

An elementary school bus guest tries out the manual pencil sharpener

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Bianca, Matt, and Annaliese (l-r), students from the Batten School’s Formative Change Group, are doing a pro bono consulting evaluation of some of our outreach & volunteer needs. We are very grateful for their knowledge, enthusiasm, and support this semester!

Two grad students and one undergrad are pictured on the book bus during a meeting. A box of donated books is near their feet.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Many, many thanks to Hello Comics for their incredibly generous donation of multiple boxes of teen manga and kids’ graphic novels! These are the most popular items on the bus, and we were running low. Now our shelves are stocked! ✨🚌✨

A comic style sticker reads “Donated with love by Hello Comics.” The other pictures, set in a collage style, are a colorful mix of teen manga like Bunny Drop, and graphic novels for younger kids such as Blue, Berry, & Pancakes.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

The first student on the bus today at Rockfish River Elementary School asked me, “Is it OK if I give you a hug?” 💕 Of course I said yes 😊 403 books went home with preschool through 5th grade students today, everything from board books to World War II history.

Excited kids after getting off the bus with their book choices

A group of students on the bus holds up their book choices

A boy smiles while holding up his Catan card game

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Since the the giant piles of snow have melted, I returned to Greenstone to meet the elementary buses. 71 books and 36 toothbrushes/soap bars/deodorant went home with kids and parents. Thanks to Stephanie for including me in a picture, and for managing the flow of kids 😊

Sharon, the bus driver, on the bus three kids who are picking out books

Several elementary schoolers pick out books on the Book Bus

Elementary schoolers choose coloring books and other reading books on the Book Bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

In honor of Black History Month, here are two facts I didn’t know, and some of the books we are featuring in February. ✨🚌✨

A photo of the Book Bus colorful shelves featuring books with Black main characters or books about Black history.

The three-light traffic signal was invented by a Black man named Garrett Morgan. Garrett Morgan had only an elementary school education and was the son of a formerly enslaved man. Nevertheless, Morgan surmounted these difficulties and is responsible for many important inventions.

Most notably, Morgan invented the three-light traffic signal in 1923.
While driving one day, Morgan witnessed a serious car crash at an intersection. This sparked his idea to add a third light to the traffic signal which would warn drivers of an impending red light. His patent was granted in 1924, and after early installments of the three-light traffic signal were successful, they spread throughout the country and became the three-light signal many of us encounter daily.

Maya Angelou was the irst Black female cable car conductor in San Francisco. Maya Angelou is best known as a Pulitzer Prize winning author, but before she began writing, she worked a string of odd jobs in her youth. When Angelou first went to apply for a job as a cable car conductor, they refused to give her an application.

Undeterred, Angelou sat outside of the office every day for two weeks until they finally allowed her to apply for the position. Much to her distress, when Angelou read over the application paperwork, she realized she was neither old enough for the job, nor did she have the desired experience and recommendations she was required to list. In 1 Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou describes how she combined fact and fiction in order to complete the application, and "on a blissful day" she was hired as the first Black female cable car conductor in San Francisco.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

If you’ve ever looked at our book bus event photos and thought “That looks fun,” we are hiring for a part-time second driver who enjoys working with kids. I’m at the limit of the number of events I can do on my own. Flexible, part-time, $20/hr. No CDL needed. Details below 😊

Help wanted!
We need another person to help drive the bus and represent The Free Book Bus at events. You do not need a CDL. $20/hour. Background check required.

freebookbus@gmail.com
Send us an email with your resume and cover letter!
WWW.FREEBOOKBUS.COM

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

It was pajama day yesterday at Tye River Elementary School, so there were lots of fun slippers and pj prints on the bus. Kids and teachers picked out 228 books to take home, everything from books on whale anatomy to glow in the dark Pokémon books ✨🚌✨

Kids and their teacher on the book bus - lots of the kids are in fun PJs because it was pajama day

Kids on the book bus with their book choices - lots of the kids are in fun PJs because it was pajama day

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

These three bus guests after choosing books yesterday: “Can I sit in the seat?” Me: “Yes! Just remember the rule, don’t honk the horn” 😊 They had a great time pretending to be the bus driver and turning on the READ sign. Also, the amazing Valentine’s hair! ✨💕

An elementary school girl sits in the bus driver’s seat. Her hair is pictured from the back. She asked me “do you notice anything special about my hair?” and when I looked, she had her hair braided in a big heart pattern, tied back with a pink bow and accentuated with pink and purple beads.

A young elementary school girl tries out the bus driver’s seat. She is watching the stop sign (which says READ) flashing after pressing the button. Her hair is braided with red and white beads for Valentines Day.

An elementary school girl tries out the bus driver’s seat. She is holding the picture book “The Smart Cookie” and watching the stop sign (which says READ) flashing after pressing the button.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Group photo from today’s visit to the C-Base class at Lakeside Middle School. Book choices ranged from Rick Riordan chapter books to books about sharks, and lots of kids took home chapstick ✨🚌✨

A group of middle schoolers holding books stands with their teachers in front of the Book Bus on a sunny day

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Kids were excited to see Shrinky Dinks on the bus, although I wish I had instructions for them in Pashto and Dari 🚌 Three stops today with Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents, while dodging the snow-narrowed lanes - thanks to my copilot for clearing the bus roof!

Two elementary girls stand on the bus steps holding up their shrinky dink kits, books, and pencils

I took this picture while stopped to illustrate how narrow some of the streets still are because of the icy snow

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

We managed to chop through the first layer of ice on the bus roof and get the solar panel uncovered, the rest will have to wait until it melts a bit more, a few weeks from now 😬

The Free Book Bus is pictured in snow with an extension ladder up against the side, snow on the bus roof, and a snow clearing tool in the foreground

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

My mom, Ellen, a retired librarian and current archivist, helped me unpack books & supplies. 🙌 A year ago, I took Shrinky Dink kits to a public housing stop. The kids STILL ask for them 😊 Thanks to a grant from The Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation, we were able to purchase in bulk, along with books

The “before” picture: disorganized boxes full of art supplies, with hygiene items and foreign language books in the background

Sharon’s mom, Ellen, sitting on a stool sorting through used book donations

The “after” picture: a very colorful, pleasing shelf display of art products, such as glitter markers, Shrinky Dink kits, cute food coloring books, Pokémon cards, etc.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

198 books went out to enthusiastic pre-k-elementary readers & teachers at Tye River Elementary School this morning! Valentine books, chapter, scary, picture, & board books were all popular. Kids also loved getting to choose new mechanical pencils - we stock fresh school supplies in January ✨🚌✨

Elementary kids show their book choices on the book bus

Sharon , the bus driver, stands with three kids who are holding their new books

A child in a red jacket sits on a green stool on the book bus looking at a new Spiderman chapter book

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

ESL students at the Newcomer Learning Community visited the bus and chose English language learning books, chapter, graphic, and sports books. One of the students speaks Nepali, and took home the Welcome to Charlottesville coloring book in English/Nepali.

A group of five high school students holds their new books they chose from the Book Bus.

Four middle school students and two teachers hold the books they chose on the Book Bus

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Today was the first time this little guy visited the book bus, and he was very excited about all the books, the stuffed animals, and of course, the tiny piano! Today was our triple stop with PHAR in the Riverside, 6th St., and Westhaven neighborhoods.

A woman and little boy dressed in winter coats hold up books in front of the book bus.

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The Free Book Bus @thefreebookbus.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Today’s stop at Kindlewood marked the 221st and final stop of 2025! We are so grateful for our bus guests and to all of the incredible support from volunteers, donors, community members, and partners. Thank you all 💕🚌💕

THE FREE BOOK BUS

2025 IMPACT
3,400 guests received hygiene & personal care items in 2025
20 VOLUNTEERS HELPED
FOR 76 HOURS
8,306 PEOPLE SERVED!

221 BUS STOPS
14,526 BOOKS OUT
16 SHELTER/FOOD
PANTRY VISITS

A collage of photos of bus guests and one of a volunteer with puzzles outside the bus

A collage of bus guests and a preschool classroom with the books they chose

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