Service and sustainability highlighted in student-run textbook drive

By: Sydney Umstead, News Editor

A new textbook drive has been brought to campus this semester and will continue, tentatively, for semesters to come. The textbooks are currently free to take in the commuter lounge. 

Sharon Smith, a senator for the United Student Association (USA), was inspired to create a textbook drive after learning one of her friends “pays for tuition out of pocket [and] she has to work long hours just to pay for it.” 

The rising costs of textbooks emphasize the importance of these drives on campus. The Education Data Initiative reported that “The average college student pays $285 for course materials in one academic year.” Moreover, “Hard copy books can cost as much as $400, with an average price between $100 and $150.” 

After USA started doing senator projects, Smith began collecting books last semester as her project and was able to collect 118 donated textbooks all together. 

The books, she said, are separated by subject, and every time a new book is donated, it is added to a subsequent list on Google Sheets. 

With Smith graduating in the spring semester, she emphasized how she has created the drive so that it is accessible to the next generation of USA senators. 

However, starting the drive has not been without its difficulties. Smith was met with challenges like advertisement for the event, but people showed up and were excited to be able to get their books for free. 

Smith stated that she was able to give away 40 books so far. 

For her, the highlight of the event was being able to watch people getting the books during the giveaway. Smith, who described herself as an emotional person, said, “It made me want to cry.” Continuing, she noted how it “made [her] mission complete,” and that “people actually need this.” 

As the semester continues, Smith discussed plans to purchase a cabinet for the commuter lounge that will be locked for the remainder of the semester and unlocked at the start of each new semester so students are able to access the donated textbooks for their upcoming classes. 

One of the perks of this is that when you have something in “one specific place, everyone can know about it,” she said. 

She also wishes to get in touch with the academic departments in order to ensure that they can let their students know about other ways to access the course material. 

If students are interested in helping they can contact Smith at smith578@canisius.edu. Her senate office hours are Fridays from 12-2 p.m.