Book drive helps students struggling with finances

The Black Students League is trying to help some students avoid skyrocketing textbook prices next semester.

The group organized a textbook drive May 6-13 to help give books to Penn students struggling with financial aid.

"Our goal is to help out classmates who have to go through hardships to get textbooks," said College sophomore and BSL community outreach chairwoman Jolecia Flournory.

Textbooks in all conditions, even if they have highlights or notes or are old editions, were accepted outside DuBois, Hill, Rodin, Stouffer and Ware college houses.

"By donating textbooks and bulkpacks to students in need, we are trying to help alleviate the costs of textbooks," Flournory said. "When students' financial-aid packages are calculated, we find that the estimated amount that can be spent on textbooks is often inaccurate."

Engineering freshman Agatha Oliveira, BSL's other community outreach chairwoman, came up with the idea for the drive.

"At the beginning, I didn't know how successful it would be," she said. "Students could easily sell their books to the bookstore."

The textbook drive collected 50 books on the first day, and about the same number each day for the next few days.

"I would really like to thank the Penn community for being so responsive," Oliveira said.

According to Flournory, "It took a while to get the kinks out of the plan and get the boxes out for collecting, but overall, we've had a great turnout."

Flournory also donated books for the drive.

"I feel like I got a large load off my shoulders - I donated maybe $300 worth of books," she said.

She added that Box My Dorm, a popular storage company started at Penn, charges $40 dollars to store each box, and textbooks usually take up a whole box.

"Donating textbooks is a great way to take care of the question of storage," Flournory said.

Their drive has produced a diverse collection of books, according to Oliveira, though not as many textbooks for classes in the School of Nursing. She attributed the lack to the smaller number of students in that school.

She added that BSL definitely wants to run the textbook drive again next year after spring semester, and maybe even after fall semester.

"Everybody involved benefits from something like this," Oliveira said. "It feels good to be able to do something that will help someone else. And you can donate your books one year, and receive donated books the next year."

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