Curiosity Cruisers

Mascots Northtale and Owlbotron (Kids in cruiser)

The Curiosity Cruiser mobile library initiative is a signature focus of our Ladies for Literacy Guild in partnership with Harris County Public Library.

The fleet of our four Curiosity Cruiser “super libraries on wheels” is equipped with top-of-the-line educational technology, including laptops, iPads, 3D-printers, virtual reality headsets, and more. Curiosity Cruisers serve Harris County’s most vulnerable students by providing free books and hands-on, after school and summer STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and math) programming. Programs are offered weekly to children ages 6-15 right in their neighborhood! The afterschool and summer curriculum contains more than 80 activities, including Makey Makey, ice cream balls, Osmo coding kits, Sphero, Tinkercad, Oculus virtual reality, 3D printing, and color changing slime, that rotate each week.

The Curiosity Cruisers are on the move each week. Click below to see where it will go next!

Learn more

Community Impact Curiosity Cruiser

35,993

Number of children served

38,433

Number of books delivered

24,061

Miles Driven

358

Number of STEM programs

548

Number of stops, on average we visit 15-20 stops per month

Stories of Impact

Shelley Barineau from Missionary Village Apartments

The Magical Mobile Library

What people are saying…

“Thanks to the generosity of the Ladies for Literacy Guild and its partners, we have been able to increase access to books, reading and learning to promote literacy and engagement in STEM activities. The impact of this program is immeasurable as we develop a generation of lifelong learners. It is humbling as well as gratifying to share these resources with the Harris County community.”

— Edward Melton, Harris County Public Library Director

“The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation is an exceptional organization, and it is so gratifying to contribute to its mission and help lift up the communities in our great city by giving children the chance to fall in love with reading and learning, Oxy is proud to provide the fourth vehicle in the Curiosity Cruiser fleet and support educational activities outside of school in an effort to help close the learning gap.”

— Yanni Charalombous, Oxy’s Chief Information Officer