SDG12
4 Schools Join Forces to Share Love and Books: NCKU Library's Used Book Charity Sale Opens Grandly
On a sunny afternoon, a vast collection of used books was neatly displayed along the Art Gallery on the B1 floor of NCKU Library, offering a wide variety of genres accompanied by a rich aroma of books. Stepping into the neighboring "Café Pin Chang," visitors can enjoy drinks and refreshments, set aside their daily fatigue in a comfortable atmosphere, pick a favorite book, and enjoy a relaxed reading time. The "2026 NCKU & NCKU Senior High & Salesian & De Guang" Used Book Charity Sale takes place from September 12 to September 18 at the Art Gallery on the B1 floor of NCKU Library. Faculty, students, and the general public who love reading are warmly welcomed to participate.
Starting in 1984, the NCKU Library used book charity sale has been held continuously with the mission of promoting reading and giving back to society. Over the years, NCKU Library has redistributed books through collection and charity sales, directing all proceeds toward charitable causes. This year marks the first time NCKU Main Library has joined hands with three other schools—The Affiliated Senior High School of National Cheng Kung University, Tainan Salesian Technical High School, and Tainan Private De Guang Senior High School. Together, the four schools collected, organized, and categorized books before centralizing them at NCKU Library for the charity sale, allowing the love for reading to transcend campus boundaries and spreading goodwill. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the "Tainan Private Catholic Bethan Social Welfare Foundation".
In his opening speech, Wang-Long Li, Director of NCKU Library, noted that the used book charity sale serves not only as a treasure hunt for book lovers, but also as a platform connecting reading enthusiasts with social welfare organizations. He highlighted four major breakthroughs made by NCKU Library this year:
Joint Book Collection: Partnering with the libraries of three neighboring high schools—NCKU Senior High, Salesian Technical High, and De Guang Senior High.
Weekend Grand Opening: Moving the opening day to Saturday to attract more visitors over the weekend.
Extended Hours and Duration: Addressing past feedback from readers who missed the sale after class or work, the library extended opening hours until 7:00 PM for the first six days and expanded the event duration to seven days, giving readers ample time to select books for charity.
Senior Volunteers: Involving 13 senior volunteers for the first time to assist with book collection, cleaning, and sorting over two months, making this year's event possible.
Su-Chen Chen, Principal of Tainan Salesian Technical High School, expressed her appreciation to everyone who contributed to the event. She mentioned that NCKU actively fulfills its responsibility for social sustainability by connecting volunteers and secondary schools, uniting various forces to turn goodwill into practical action.
The recipient of this year's donations is the "Tainan Private Catholic Bethan Social Welfare Foundation," which belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Tainan. Founded in 2010 by Swiss Father Frantz Gassner (Wu Dao-Yuan), who arrived in Taiwan 60 years ago, the foundation operates under the principle of "Dignity—For Everyone". For 16 years, it has served children with developmental delays, individuals with disabilities, community seniors, and bedridden disabled individuals along with their families in the Tainan area, spreading the love of Jesus Christ and helping those in need experience divine goodness.
Father Frantz Gassner shared during his speech that reading is beneficial not only for physical health but also for keeping the mind active. He encouraged everyone to care for their eyes by reading more and spending less time on mobile phones. He expressed that participating in the used book charity sale is immensely meaningful, as it allows people to enrich themselves while contributing to charity and helping others, thanking everyone for their involvement and care.
NCKU Library has always adhered to the original values of respecting intellectual property and treasuring resources through its charity book sales. Hosting the sale annually not only helps book lovers find valuable reads, but also stands as a long-term action supporting charitable groups and giving back to society. Every book represents a treasure of knowledge; donating books extends the transmission of knowledge while supporting public welfare, bringing positive energy to society. Over the past 22 years, nearly 152,000 donated books have been received, and nearly NT$3.91 million raised from the sales has been fully donated to social welfare groups. Thanks to enthusiastic donations from all sectors, this year's collection reached a record high, receiving 21,636 books from nearly 570 donor contributors.
During the event, members of the public are invited to bring their families to NCKU to select books, stroll through campus, or visit campus coffee shops such as "Café Pin Chang" and "Spring Pool Glass (New Garden)". Café Pin Chang, located on the B1 floor of the library, actively supports the event by offering off-campus readers presenting a book purchase receipt a 10% discount on beverages, snacks, or desserts—matching the staff and student discount—allowing readers to enjoy a leisure reading experience while picking out their favorite books.
Event Hours Information /
Sept. 12 (Sat): 12:30 – 19:00
Sept. 13 (Sun) – Sept. 17 (Thu): 10:00 – 19:00
Sept. 18 (Fri): 10:00 – 15:00
Starting in 1984, the NCKU Library used book charity sale has been held continuously with the mission of promoting reading and giving back to society. Over the years, NCKU Library has redistributed books through collection and charity sales, directing all proceeds toward charitable causes. This year marks the first time NCKU Main Library has joined hands with three other schools—The Affiliated Senior High School of National Cheng Kung University, Tainan Salesian Technical High School, and Tainan Private De Guang Senior High School. Together, the four schools collected, organized, and categorized books before centralizing them at NCKU Library for the charity sale, allowing the love for reading to transcend campus boundaries and spreading goodwill. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the "Tainan Private Catholic Bethan Social Welfare Foundation".
In his opening speech, Wang-Long Li, Director of NCKU Library, noted that the used book charity sale serves not only as a treasure hunt for book lovers, but also as a platform connecting reading enthusiasts with social welfare organizations. He highlighted four major breakthroughs made by NCKU Library this year:
Joint Book Collection: Partnering with the libraries of three neighboring high schools—NCKU Senior High, Salesian Technical High, and De Guang Senior High.
Weekend Grand Opening: Moving the opening day to Saturday to attract more visitors over the weekend.
Extended Hours and Duration: Addressing past feedback from readers who missed the sale after class or work, the library extended opening hours until 7:00 PM for the first six days and expanded the event duration to seven days, giving readers ample time to select books for charity.
Senior Volunteers: Involving 13 senior volunteers for the first time to assist with book collection, cleaning, and sorting over two months, making this year's event possible.
Su-Chen Chen, Principal of Tainan Salesian Technical High School, expressed her appreciation to everyone who contributed to the event. She mentioned that NCKU actively fulfills its responsibility for social sustainability by connecting volunteers and secondary schools, uniting various forces to turn goodwill into practical action.
The recipient of this year's donations is the "Tainan Private Catholic Bethan Social Welfare Foundation," which belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Tainan. Founded in 2010 by Swiss Father Frantz Gassner (Wu Dao-Yuan), who arrived in Taiwan 60 years ago, the foundation operates under the principle of "Dignity—For Everyone". For 16 years, it has served children with developmental delays, individuals with disabilities, community seniors, and bedridden disabled individuals along with their families in the Tainan area, spreading the love of Jesus Christ and helping those in need experience divine goodness.
Father Frantz Gassner shared during his speech that reading is beneficial not only for physical health but also for keeping the mind active. He encouraged everyone to care for their eyes by reading more and spending less time on mobile phones. He expressed that participating in the used book charity sale is immensely meaningful, as it allows people to enrich themselves while contributing to charity and helping others, thanking everyone for their involvement and care.
NCKU Library has always adhered to the original values of respecting intellectual property and treasuring resources through its charity book sales. Hosting the sale annually not only helps book lovers find valuable reads, but also stands as a long-term action supporting charitable groups and giving back to society. Every book represents a treasure of knowledge; donating books extends the transmission of knowledge while supporting public welfare, bringing positive energy to society. Over the past 22 years, nearly 152,000 donated books have been received, and nearly NT$3.91 million raised from the sales has been fully donated to social welfare groups. Thanks to enthusiastic donations from all sectors, this year's collection reached a record high, receiving 21,636 books from nearly 570 donor contributors.
During the event, members of the public are invited to bring their families to NCKU to select books, stroll through campus, or visit campus coffee shops such as "Café Pin Chang" and "Spring Pool Glass (New Garden)". Café Pin Chang, located on the B1 floor of the library, actively supports the event by offering off-campus readers presenting a book purchase receipt a 10% discount on beverages, snacks, or desserts—matching the staff and student discount—allowing readers to enjoy a leisure reading experience while picking out their favorite books.
Event Hours Information /
Sept. 12 (Sat): 12:30 – 19:00
Sept. 13 (Sun) – Sept. 17 (Thu): 10:00 – 19:00
Sept. 18 (Fri): 10:00 – 15:00
The used book charity sale attracted a large crowd in an enthusiastic atmosphere, with faculty, students, and the public selecting their favorite books. (Provided by NCKU Library)
This year, NCKU Main Library joined hands for the first time with the Senior High School Division of The Affiliated Senior High School of NCKU, Tainan Salesian Technical High School, and Tainan Private De Guang Senior High School, totaling four schools participating in the charity sale. All proceeds will be donated to the "Tainan Private Catholic Bethan Social Welfare Foundation."
In his speech, Wang-Long Li, Director of NCKU Library, stated that the used book charity sale is not only a great opportunity for book lovers to find treasures of knowledge, but also a platform connecting reading enthusiasts with charitable organizations.
Su-Chen Chen, Principal of Tainan Salesian Technical High School, expressed her gratitude in her speech to all sectors for making this charity sale possible.
Father Frantz Gassner (Wu Dao-Yuan) of the Bethan Social Welfare Foundation shared during his speech that participating in the used book charity sale is a very meaningful endeavor. While reading and enriching oneself, one can also engage in public welfare and help others.
During the charity sale, off-campus readers who present a book purchase receipt can enjoy a 10% discount when purchasing drinks, snacks, or desserts at "Café Pin Chang," matching the discount offered to NCKU faculty, staff, and students.
