Shop for books till you drop at Drive Books, Not Cars sale

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The annual Drive Books, Not Cars campaign is once again calling on all passionate bookworms in Jakarta to shop for reasonably-priced books until you drop – all in the name of charity.

On November 23, a car-free Sunday, the most-awaited and exciting book drive in Jakarta will have more than 3,000 pre-loved English-language books on sale from 7am to 12pm at the VIP parking lot of fX Mall in the Senayan area of South Jakarta.

Since it started 3 years ago, the Drive Books, Not Cars campaign has collected over 39,000 English-language novels and Indonesian-language children’s books from across the archipelago and beyond.

“What is exciting about Drive Books, Not Cars is that it brings together ‘idle resources’, which are books that people no longer use, and connects those resources with people eager to have access to them and does so in a transaction that benefits underprivileged children,” said Scott Hanna, one of the founders of the campaign.

“It’s rare to find this combination: a donation that makes people feel good, a purchase that excites the buyer, and a transaction with social benefit.”

All the books on sale are ensured to still be in good condition and will be sold at reasonable prices, ranging from IDR35,000 to IDR70,000 ($2.90 to $5.80).

All the proceeds will be split between Sahabat Anak, a nonprofit group focused on the welfare of Indonesian street children, and Taman Bacaan Pelangi, a non-profit organization that has established 29 children’s libraries in 14 remote islands across Eastern Indonesia. Also, the Indonesian-language children’s books collected will also be donated to Taman Bacaan Pelangi libraries in Eastern Indonesia.

“Drive Books Not Cars has helped Taman Bacaan Pelangi tremendously,” said Nila Tanzil-Petersen, the founder of the organization, which has collaborated with the campaign since it was established. “We have received a lot of children’s books and also a significant number of funds from the book sales. With the money, we can buy more children books to be distributed to the remote villages in Eastern Indonesia where we are located.”

Volunteers needed

If you want to do more than just donate or buy books, Count Me In, a sister organization of Drive Books Not Cars, is recruiting passionate volunteers for book sale day, or for book sorting day on November 22.

Book sorting will be held at the Bengkel Crossfit from 4pm until around 7pm, and volunteers here will be allowed to buy books at lower prices. 

“It is good to know that you are doing something productive with your time and for a good cause,” said regular and long-term volunteer Mustika Harpsoro. “You see a lot of unfortunate people in this country, and by volunteering you know that you might be able to change that – one community at a time. It is better than doing nothing with our free time.”

Knowing the two trustworthy organizations where the support will go to reinforces her will to volunteer, she added.

“I hope we can continue to grow, not just in terms of sales but also about getting people excited to volunteer – including with our recipient organizations,” Hanna said. – Rappler.com

This article was written and submitted by Divya Pridhnani from Count Me In. Those interested in volunteering are welcome to tweet @CountMeInID or send an email to mayamartinie@gmail.com or d_pridhnani91@gmail.com