COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — A beloved summer reading project serving Coopersville on wheels has seen its book supply depleted, and leaders are asking for donations.
The Coopersville "Words on Wheels" reading bus was built in 2008 through a grant from the local rotary club. The white bus, covered in artwork, is outfitted with book shelves and chairs.
"When kids see the reading bus, they just get so excited," said Julie Lothschutz. She drives buses for the district during the school year and has driven the reading bus for years.
The bus, which stops throughout the community twice a week, is meant to prevent kids from experiencing an academic "summer slide."
It helps families in rural areas that are not able to get to the library in the summer, said LaVonne Marshall, executive director of the Coopersville Area District Library.
"This is a great way to support our community's early literacy efforts," Marshall said. "This is a heart-and-soul effort."
People donated around 15,000 books to the bus in 2008. Lothschutz allowed kids to take a couple books at a time.
Staff at the library recently cleaned the bus, removing run down books. Now, the stock is noticeably diminished.
"The biggest concern is if we were going to let kids keep the books [anymore]," Lothschutz said.
After a recent post on Facebook, at least a dozen people have dropped off donations.
"We hope to get some nice donations, so that every kid can take a book home," Marshall said.
Donations are being accepted at the Coopersville Area District Library and the bus garage at the intersection of Main Street and 64th Avenue.
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