The Zeta Phi Beta sorority will be holding a “Sweet Service” children’s book drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in Taylor Hall.

The sorority will be collecting books for Charleston’s elementary schools and high school. The books will then be donated to the appropriate grade level.

Charisse Archie, a junior graphic design major and marketing chair for Zeta Phi Beta, said although the sorority will accept all books, they are aiming to gather books for younger children.

“We will take any kind of book, but we’re mostly looking for elementary and high school books,” she said.

Ashley Bell, a junior family services major and service chair of the sorority, said the idea for the book drive came about after the sorority held an event called “Real Women Read” last year. They noticed that books were often more geared toward adults and there were not a lot of children’s books offered to students.

“Kids were given books that they couldn’t read or understand,” she said. “We wanted to donate books for all (age groups) to (be able to) read.”

Although Zeta Phi Beta has put on other service events in the past, Archie said this is the first time they have put on a book drive. The sorority decided to hold a book drive because it is something that is not done very often.

“We’ve done different things before, but this is a different kind of project,” Archie said. “Everybody usually does clothes or food drives, but we wanted something (tying into) academics.”

The sorority is especially focusing on giving back to the Charleston community through the book drive.

“We are trying to keep it local,” Archie said. “This lets us give back to the children in the (Charleston) schools.”

Since this will be the first book drive for Zeta Phi Beta, they are not sure what to expect, but Bell said she hopes they gather at least 50 books.

“We want to get a lot of books,” she said. “The people in the high schools are excited about us bringing them new books to read.”

Bell hopes the students enjoy the books they will receive.

“I hope they’ll enjoy the books (we’re donating),” she said. “(I hope) they’ll enjoy getting some new books instead of reading the same old books.”

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-7942 or at smhall3@eiu.edu.