Riders on select Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) buses are now able to enjoy novels, biographies, science fiction, and other types of reading materials thanks to a new program from the Sarasota County Library System. Bus Books offers riders a free selection they can pass onto someone else when done or return to any SCAT bus that has a Bus Books collection box.

The outreach program is part of the library’s new “Read and Pass it on” initiative that makes books available to anyone for free, and encourages the readers to hand the book off to someone else when they are done. “This is another way to bring the library and reading in general to the community,” said Andrea Kenzig, Sarasota County Libraries outreach coordinator.

The books come from donations, surplus from the Friends Bookstores, and books that have been weeded from the library collection. Each book is labeled with the Read it and Pass it on branding and a message that encourages the reader to give the book to someone else when done.

According to Kenzig, “We know how busy people are these days and they may not have time to visit their local library during the hours it is open. We are looking for new ways to promote community literacy and offer a new access point for books.”

The Bus Books program includes books for a variety of audiences including selections for adults, youth and children.

For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about the Read it and Pass it on program or visit the Sarasota County Library System Web site at www.sclibs.net.