Birzeit University Launches Textbook Lending Projects

The Birzeit University Student Affairs Deanship has launched two textbook lending services covering various disciplines.

One service offers used textbooks to students, aiming to promote social solidarity and encourage volunteerism and moral responsibility among students. Under the project, a team of student volunteers collects used textbooks from other students and classifies them, according to subject, to be lent to their peers for free. The project seeks to collect the largest number of used textbooks possible over the university term.

The second service, which will lend new textbooks, is provided by the university library, supported by Friends of Birzeit University and the Palestinian Heritage Center. Starting in 2011, the library allocated a special corner for this purpose, thus aiming to preserve the right of the Palestinian student to education, regardless of his or her economic status. The project offers 911 copies of textbooks used in 98 different courses.

Dean of Student Affairs Mohammad Al-Ahmad said that this project is especially important for university students because it contributes to social networking and nourishes their shared sense of responsibility. Al-Ahmad said that it mainly seeks to help needy students who cannot afford to buy new textbooks, and is part of the Dean of Student Affairs’ efforts to reduce the economic burden on needy students.

Library director Diana Sayej noted that the demand for library-offered textbooks is steadily increasing and she expects the number of textbooks available to increase by the beginning of the next academic year to assist more students.