On September 6, I joined hundreds of students as well as faculty and staff members in Stockton’s 11th Annual Day of Service, where we were given the option to participate in any available volunteer activity and benefit the lives of others. During the Day of Service I participated in Books Without Borders, which entailed unboxing hundreds of used books, categorizing them, and repacking them in order for them to be shipped around the world for the use of those who are in need of them. The project did take more thinking than physical labor, due to the fact that we needed to collectively determine what subject each book fell under, as they ranged from science and business to family and marriage. The number of boxes at first was also a bit overwhelming as they were unloaded from multiple cars and placed all along the road we worked on. Also, as we continued to pack them up, it seemed at some points as if books continued to appear on their own. Some books even ended up in boxes that one would never expect them to be, until someone would point them out and move them to a different box. However, eventually the stacks did begin to decrease, and we were able to see the white tables’ surfaces once more.
Books Without Borders was a mutually beneficial event for those packing the books and those receiving. I enjoyed seeing what kind of books were going to those in need, and knowing that they would be utilized in the best means possible, rather than remaining in their original boxes to collect dust. I also appreciate reading and other forms of literature; therefore I enjoyed being able to help others through it. Since Books Without Borders is also a club, after this experience I would definitely consider joining it and finding out other ways I can help those in need.