ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Students at Elmira College are collecting books and funds to send to children's libraries in Africa.

The service campaign is part of the brand-new, Term III course called “Global Altruism.”

"It actually is a new course [created] just this year because the school wanted to have more global outreach [and] opportunities to help other people," said Lillian Sensinger, one of the students involved in the project. "So, our professor felt really strongly about this and she's helped us throughout the whole way so far."

The students will be working with the international project called the "African Library Project," a 501(c)3 organization aimed at creating, improving and sustaining libraries in African countries.  

"It feels really good to be able to get out to our classmates and our community and [give] back to people who don't have as [many] resources as we do," said Amaya Pinney, another student involved in the project.

"You don't think about other people not having access to such a thing that's so easy [like books]," added Sensinger.

As part of the campaign, the students organized a goal of collecting 500 new or gently used children’s books for children in pre-K through fifth-grade reading levels. Book donation boxes can be found in the following locations on Elmira College’s campus: 

  • McGraw Hall Lobby
  • Gannett-Tripp Library Lobby 
  • Information Desk in the Campus Center 

Books will be collected through May 31. 

The class will also collect monetary donations to cover the cost of shipping the books internationally. Currently, the students’ goal is to reach $500. 

More information about how to donate online can be found here. Monetary donations will also be accepted through May 31.