A new mobile "literacy bus" will soon be serving the City of Tuscaloosa and its school children--all tied to an effort by the Tuscaloosa City Schools.

TCS will transform one of its existing school buses into a "literacy bus" that will feature a wide selection of children's books, comfortable areas for sitting, free wifi and also tablets that children can use to read electronic books or play learning games. Any child can board the bus, and parents and guardians are encouraged to visit the bus with their child and to take the time to read with them.

Children who are students in the Tuscaloosa City Schools will also be able to receive a free book from the literacy bus to take home with them and keep, an effort that is paid for by a community literacy grant that TCS received.

"We are really excited about this bus, to provide resources for families in the community as well as every school in the Tuscaloosa City Schools," said Terri Byrts, director of student literacy for the Tuscaloosa City Schools. "It's very important that all children are reading, and for them to see reading or literacy as a task, but a skill and that they love to read, because we know that reading takes our children further."

The bus will visit community events and have scheduled stops across Tuscaloosa and will be available for use by organizations such as the United Way.

"This is about community outreach," said TCS Superintendent Dr. Mike Daria. "It's not just about our TCS students, but it's the Tuscaloosa community at large."

The bus is scheduled to be finished and operational by the end of this school year, in time for use in the community during the summer months. At that point, its scheduled locations will be posted on the Tuscaloosa City Schools website.