February 6, 2018
Sarah Kellar
Instead of selling old textbooks on Amazon for a few dollars, students can help their peers by donating them to those who may not be able to purchase their class materials.
Students can donate books for student veterans on campus through Books for Battle Buddies, which began last semester. Any military-affiliated student is able to receive books regardless of their GPA or class load.
The program is beginning to gain momentum according to Astrid Monar, AmeriCorps VISTA success coordinator at the Office of Veteran and Military Student Affairs.
“We are having way more this semester than we did last semester, so I think the program is generally picking up,” said Monar.
Cori Trenchick, an undergraduate student at UCCS that helped start the program, began donating her books to veterans during her freshman year since the Vocational Rehab program pays for her books.
“If we have it, they can borrow it. They just have to be military-affiliated – veteran, active duty reserve or dependent of a vet,” said Trenchick.
Students return the books by the end of the semester. Monar and Trenchick track who received books by their student ID number. If the books aren’t returned, they are not allowed to borrow anymore.
“I generally think we have had more people drop off books than we have given out. Though I think we have given out a good amount of books. I think it is in actuality if you are giving out at least one or two books at a time,” said Monar.
Some students have been unable to participate in the program due to the inventory because the program is donation-based.
“We’ve had a lot of requests that we had to turn away just because we didn’t have the books,” said Trenchick.
Most people who donate drop off the books at the McCord-Herbst Student Veteran Center.
“The majority of the donations come the bookstore and from the other veterans that do not need their books anymore,” said Trenchick. The veteran center staff also ask the bookstore to donate books that have printing errors or have minor damage.
There are plans to expand the program by going to local bookstores and thrift stores to see if they would be willing to donate some of their books. There are even plans to contact Amazon for donations.
For more information about donating or receiving books, visit uccs.edu/military/student-resources/books-for-battle-buddies.