Students sell books and treats to fundraise for LIT awards

The library and information technician program hosted a charity book and bake sale on March 19 in the J and N-building link, attracting many book lovers and dessert enthusiasts.

LIT students have been organizing the book sale with various themes since 2018. They hosted a Halloween-themed event last fall semester, and as spring blossoms, this time it comes with elements of flowers, sweetness and reading.

Books were wrapped with brown paper and tied up with a tiny bow. Students could see a handwritten teaser about the book. These second-hand books were sold for only two dollars, which attracted many passing students.

Matthew Bowman, a Level 1 practical nursing student at Algonquin College, purchased a mysterious book after careful selection.

“It’s a great idea, and I really like the books and the dessert here. If they do it again, I’ll definitely get a cupcake,” Bowman said.

The book and bake sale is more than just a gathering of sweet treats and captivating reads; it served as a touching tribute to two cherished LIT coordinators, Mac Nason and Natalie Meggison, who passed away unexpectedly in August 2018.

“We’ve been trying to raise funds for the students’ awards since December 2018,” said Helena Merriam, the library and information technician programs coordinator. “As long as we raise money, we can keep giving out the awards to our students.”

Merriam not only spearheaded the book and bake sale to support student awards but also initiated various events to encourage the campus community to read in the past few years, including inviting Canadian authors to discuss a book, and organizing student competitions where they could write an article, create artwork or write a story based on the book’s theme, with coordinators awarding cash prizes.

To attract more customers, in addition to the intrigue brought by the mystery books, the baked goods, prepared by the students, coordinator, and even family members, add an extra layer of sweetness to the event. From sweet cupcakes to fudge-like brownies, they were quickly snapped up.

Cecelia Volk, a professor from the early childhood education program, makes a special effort to attend the event every year and takes away some books as a gesture of support.

“I love the fact that they have this main hallway where there’s a lot of traffic,” Volk said. “And it’s definitely a worthwhile fundraiser because it’s supporting one of our programs, and it’s only two dollars.”

The LIT awards pays $500 to a student recipient.

If you’re interested in fundraising and supporting LIT students, please visit the Algonquin College’s Canada Helps Page, and donate to the Corey Mac Nason Awards and Natalie Megginson Awards of Excellence.