Campus Outreach collects used books for charity

Mark Robinson
Contributing Writer

VCU Campus Outreach’s “Books for Africa!” drive is urging students opt to donate old textbooks to their book drive instead of shoving them under the bed or selling them back to bookstores for minimal gain.

The student-run project is collecting textbooks and workbooks that are less than 10 years old. Through a partner organization, all the books collected are sold and the profit is then given to Books for Africa to purchase books. Each textbook donated will provide enough money to buy dozens of books for the charity.

Boxes are placed in all the residence halls on the Monroe Park campus, as well as Snead and Hibbs halls, and Crossroads Music on Broad Street.

“I have been pretty surprised at the amount of support that we’ve received, both online and in person,” freshman Adam Naccarato said. “Everyone seems to want to put their best foot forward and help out.”

Naccarato is the student leader of the book drive that started as result of a service project assigned in his mass communication 101 class.

Mass communications professor Jeff South assigned the service projects despite the enrollment of over 200 students in the course. There are over 20 groups with 10 members each; the topics of the projects range from raising awareness about certain issues in media, like sexism or violence, to social activism for specific causes like supporting imprisoned journalists or the local music scene.

“At minimum, I think the students will be able to raise awareness about important issues through their service projects,” South said, “who knows – maybe some of these efforts will result in policy changes or other actions.”

South, who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco in the early ’80s, said that Books for Africa has sentimental value to him because he has witnessed the happiness books were able to bring to the young people there.

Books for Africa! VCU Campus Outreach will be collecting books until Dec. 3.

Nacarrato hopes that VCU students embrace and support the cause. “This time of the year is always a great period to really look at yourself and what you have done to actually help someone,” he said. “Books for Africa is a great opportunity to make a difference; that’s really the main achievement – helping others.”

For more information about Books for Africa, visit http://www.booksforafrica.org. For more information about VCU Campus Outreach, visit http://zh-cn.connect.facebook.com/pages/Books-For-Africa-VCU-Campus-Outreach/133746686678690 or follow them on Twitter at @VCU_Outreach.