Do you have books lying around, that you’re not using? If so, you can donate these to Mercyhurst’s Outdoor Adventure Club’s (OAC) book drive.

The book drive is an opportunity for students to get rid of their old books and donate them to people who will put them to good use.

The drive accepts all books that are in reasonable condition. If you have any books that you could not sell back to the bookstore or have read and no longer need, you can donate them to this cause.

Sophomore Brooke Miller, treasurer of OAC, said, “The book drive is to promote literacy and is an alternate way to help out the environment, which isn’t always considered.”

OAC is working with The Worldwide Book Drive, a charity that recognized not only the environmental danger of thrown out, used books, but also the opportunity of literacy the books will provide for others.

Every year, millions of pounds of books are sent to landfills or storage units and go unused and rot.

In addition, this organization creates jobs for disabled adults and helps the environment by recycling books.

“While a book drive may not exactly fit the ‘image’ of Outdoor Adventure Club, we saw it as a definite way that we could help the larger community by promoting literacy and care for the environment at the same time,” Miller said.

Junior Emily Mashuda, secretary of OAC, said, “As outdoor adventurers, we would like to have a healthy environment to adventure in.”

The donated books can be dropped off in boxes that are located in the lobbies of the Herrmann Student Union, Zurn and Old Main. The boxes will continue to be around campus until Friday, May 11.

OAC is dedicated to getting outside and having fun.

The club is constantly looking for environmentally friendly activities to help conserve the environment, and the book drive is a great way to contribute.

OAC also participates in a variety of outdoor activities, from hiking to snow tubing and hopes to expand its list of events in upcoming years.

Sophomore Chris Gaertner, vice president of OAC, said, “We all have unwanted books from terms past that we will never use again. You could let them accumulate dust in your dorm, or you could donate them and get the satisfaction of knowing that you helped a person in need. Please drop off your books; it goes to a great cause.”

The book drive will run through Friday, May 11, and everyone is encouraged to gather some books and donate.