Semester after semester students accumulate unwanted text books that they don’t want and probably will never use again.
Sigma Tau Delta, Gannon University’s English honor society, is offering a suggestion for a humane disposal of these unused, unwanted texts through its annual book drive.
Sigma Tau Delta’s purpose in this book drive is to accumulate books that will then be donated to Better World Books—an organization whose purpose is to collect and sell books online to fund literacy initiatives across the globe.
For the past three years, STD focused on Invisible Children as its charity. Invisible Children attempts to rescue children conscripted as soldiers of war in third-world African countries, said Berwyn Moore, STD adviser and English associate professor.
Christine Peffer, Sigma Tau Delta president and a junior English major, said that donating the books to Invisible Children has become a sort of tradition for STD over the years.
“We all firmly believe in the cause of bringing literature to children who are not as fortunate as we are,” she said.
The usable books will be donated to the charity while the unusable books will be recycled.
“Basically the book drive is a win-win-win kind of situation,” Moore said. “It’s a good way for students and faculty to contribute to a charity, get rid of old books and keep books out of landfills.”
A majority of the funds raised go to the charity and a portion act as a fundraiser for STD. Essentially, the funds enable the honor society to pay expenses and make its presence known around campus.
All students and staff members are encouraged to donate any and all books — although textbooks are preferred.
The book drive runs through the end of the semester, and bins are located on the first floor of the Palumbo Academic Center, second floor of Beyer Hall, first floor of the Waldron Campus Center and the first floor of the Zurn Science Center.
Moore said that, because it truly is a lot of work to collect the books, if any faculty members or students require assistance, STD members are willing to help carry. If help is needed, contact [email protected] for more information.
