A new online campaign improves the availability of textbooks, and all proceeds will go in full towards textbook purchases. The University of Helsinki’s library is responsible for the campaign in cooperation with the Community Relations unit. Active marketing will commence now, at the beginning of the autumn term.
An exam is imminent and the library is out of copies of the textbook? This difficult situation is well known to almost every student and alumni member of the university. In the future, it may be possible to have more books donated by the sponsors and friends of the university.
The Give a Book site lists textbooks from each faculty whose additional copies are needed the most by students. Donors may choose to donate one or several copies of the textbooks they choose, or sponsor purchases of books or e-books with a donation they consider appropriate. The donation is paid using online banking credentials or a credit card.
The donated books will feature a bookplate indicating that this is a book donated to the campaign by a specific donor. Donations can also be made anonymously. The aim is to continue the campaign for the university’s strategy period 2013–2016 at the least.
”The idea behind the service came from the library’s developer community. Students from the IDIS community proposed that textbooks could also be obtained through donations,” says Pia Dolivo, Relations Manager who developed the idea in cooperation with the library.
The Give a Book campaign has met an enthusiastic reception at the university, as donations make it possible to significantly influence the availability of textbooks. Currently, the library is able to offer textbooks for approximately one in three students.
”The Give a Book campaign is an easy way to help students,” Dolivo continues.
”In addition to alumni members, also collaboration partners will be told about the campaign, as they can provide significant support for procuring books, even for entire courses.”
In fact, the campaign strives for a significant financial impact, as a donation that seems small for an individual company may be a proportionally significant increase in a faculty’s textbook budget.
Corporate donations will first be tested with the Faculty of Law so as to obtain more textbooks for its students.
The library and the Community Relations unit will arrange a discussion panel on the campaign in September. The event is intended for all university students interested in the campaign and those working with the university’s alumni, fundraising and questions of social dialogue.
www.helsinki.fi/giveabook
More information:
Fundraising Officer Mikko Kotola
Communications and Community Relations
tel. +358 9 191 40361
mikko.kotola@helsinki.fi
University of Helsinki
