'Razorbacks Read' Book Drive Starts Oct. 21, Aims to Collect 25,000 Books

Taliyah Brooks, women’s track

Zach Jackson, baseball

Teni Butler, soccer

Jabril Durham, men’s basketball.

DeMarcus Hodge, football.

Photo Submitted

Taliyah Brooks, a member of the women's track team, looks through one of the children's books donated for Razorback Reads project.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas students will return from Fall Break on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to find a new opportunity to make a difference for children in six communities across Arkansas. As a way to get started students are encouraged to bring any of their old children’s books from home that are still in good condition when they return to campus after the break.

“Razorback Reads” is a new program developed by the U of A Volunteer Access Center in partnership with Razorback Athletics, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and Scholastic Books.

“Illiteracy is a problem in Arkansas – 14 percent of the people in the state can’t read or write,” said Madeleine Chaisson, president of the Volunteer Access Center board. “One proven way to combat illiteracy is to provide children with books at an early age. When we learned that in low-income neighborhoods in Arkansas there is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children we realized this was a place we could help.”

The goal for Razorback Reads is to build home libraries of10-15 books for 2,300 students in grades kindergarten to third grade at six different schools across the state of Arkansas:

• Dermott Elementary in Dermott
• William Jefferson Clinton Primary in Hope
• Carroll Smith Elementary in Osceola
• Chicot Elementary in North Little Rock
• Parson Hills Elementary in Springdale
• Westwood Elementary in Springdale

Books will also be donated to the Fayetteville Head Start program.

Razorback Reads is focusing on this age group because this is the most crucial time period in a child’s reading development.

Razorback athletes are already involved in the project, posing for pictures with their favorite children’s book and also recording videos reading those books to help bring attention to the book drive.

Students and everyone else in the U of A community can start making donations during the Scholastic Book Fair from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, to Friday, Oct. 23, in the Connections Lounge of the Arkansas Union. The Book Fair features a broad variety of specially priced books, including children’s books that can be donated to Razorback Reads. Volunteers will also be on hand to accept cash donations toward buying books for the drive.

Donations are also being accepted through a GoFundMe Account on the Razorback Reads web age.

During the week anyone on campus or off can donate new or gently used books to any of these drop off stations:  

• ID Office, Career Development Center or Center for Community Engagement in the Arkansas Union
• Honor’s College, Ozark Hall
• Agriculture Building
• Mullins Library
• HPER Room 225
• U of A Bookstore
• Fayetteville Public Library
• Walker Brothers, Fayetteville
• Arvest Bank, any of seven branches
• Haas Hall Academy
• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fayetteville  
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. corporate office

The drive concludes at and around Reynolds Razorback Stadium Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Arkansas vs. Auburn game. Fans can contribute new and gently used children’s books to volunteers in tailgating areas and at entrances to the stadium until the end of the first quarter of the game.

When the drive is complete, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. will provide the storage area and the trucks to take the books to the designated schools.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.