Through April 5, ZipAssist and serveAkron are hosting a book drive asking for new and gently used children’s books in support of Bright Star Books, a local nonprofit working to increase the access to and ownership of books in Akron and surrounding areas.

Bright Star Books was founded in 2014 to help provide age-appropriate books to limited-resource children in the Greater Akron area, their website said. Since then, they have helped to provide donated books to over 11,000 children.

Books can be dropped off to the ZipAssist office in Simmons Hall or the serveAkron office in the Taber Student Union until April 5.

If you miss the deadline for this book drive, The University Association for the Education of Young Children is also asking for book donations to the I PROMISE School on W. Market St. in Akron. Donations can be dropped off until May 1.

There are several donation boxes around campus located in the College of Arts and Sciences Building, rooms 407 and 118; Zook Hall, room 002 and in the Polsky Building, rooms 181 and 411, Zipmail said.

UAEYC is asking for donations of children’s picture books and small chapter books (such as “Junie B. Jones” or “Captain Underpants”) for grades 3-5.

“We have to remember that these students at the I PROMISE School have lower reading levels, so books for lower grades are definitely accepted,” their announcement in ZipMail said.