During this year’s Get Caught Reading program, the Friends of the Library will donate 50 cents to help rebuild our sister library in Petit Goave, Haiti for each child who meets his or her reading goal.

Children’s librarian Rachel decided to promote this year’s theme – One World, Many Stories – and our partnership with Haiti by making Tap Tap Buses to display at the Library. These are models of the colorful buses which Haitian people use to get around much of their country. Their name comes from the sound made when passengers tap on the inside of the metal bus to signal that they want to be dropped off.

The students’ buses will be on display all summer in four library locations – Central, Shirlington, Westover and Columbia Pike. 

Rachel’s paper maché Tap Tap Bus

The idea to have kids make Tap Tap buses to put on display in the Library came from a piece of artwork I received from my Haitian brother-in-law many years ago – a small papier maché Tap Tap bus. I knew I wanted large (at least 4’ long) buses, and I knew it would be a lot of work. I also knew that PRCR has art instructors who work with the kids in its after school programs. That seemed like a great opportunity to give the kids an art project to work on that would help promote summer reading. The Library provided the paint, and four centers, Carver, Drew, Langston Brown and Lubber Run, provided the creativity and hard work: