Organization benefits African libraries

When he’s not tossing frisbees for the IU men’s ultimate frisbee team, junior Ben Mertz hits the books.\nJust not always in the studying sense.\nMertz operates the Books For Africa drive in Bloomington, which collects used textbooks to send to African libraries in need. \nAt the end of every semester, students sell back, re-use or store textbooks. Books For Africa, a non-profit organization operating in the U.S. and Canada, collects books students donate, and they eventually travel to or benefit African libraries. \nThe IU men’s ultimate frisbee team also takes part in the program as a group community service effort.\n“(The team) got involved with the program before I came to IU,” Mertz said. \nMertz said books donated last semester will be picked up this Friday. The books are picked up and organized before being sent to Better World Books, which partners with Books For Africa. The books are then either sent back to Books For Africa to be shipped abroad or are resold for money that will benefit the organization, Mertz said.\n“Basically, a semi-truck is going to come in front of my house where there are 52 boxes of books waiting,” he said.\nBooks For Africa and Better World Books became partners in 2003, said Jozi Hall, a Better World Books campus account representative.\n“Better World Books partnered with Books for Africa ... and has now become Books For Africa’s largest single source of funding and their largest source of post-secondary books,” Hall said in an e-mail interview.\nPat Plonski, executive director of Books For Africa, said books donated from universities make up the majority of books the organization sends to Africa. He said the organization is unable to meet demands for university books because of a large number of requests. But despite high demands, he said the program has more than enough material for kindergarten through high school levels.\n“If (students) donate that to us, we can send it to Africa for 38 cents,” he said, adding that the cost of shipping is covered through contributions from various sponsors.\nMertz said students can help the program at IU by talking to their professors about donating books. Donation boxes are located in Ballantine Hall and the psychology building. Mertz said he is working to get more donation boxes for the academic buildings. \nBook donations made at T.I.S. College Bookstore also benefit the program. \n“We usually get three-quarters of our books from T.I.S.,” Mertz said. “They do a really good job.” \nPlonski said he traveled to Africa and recognized books from various universities in African libraries. \nPlonski said the work he does at Books For Africa is valuable. \n“It is something I feel passionate about.,” Plonski said. “I’ve been to Africa. I’ve seen the need.”