Students at Harry S Truman Elementary School, Western Salisbury Elementary School and the literary club at Salisbury High School are collecting books for the Cops ‘n’ Kids Children’s Literacy Program at the Northampton Community College Fowler Family Southside Center, 511 East Third St., Bethlehem.

To celebrate reading and literacy, the students are collecting new and gently used books for Cops ‘n’ Kids through April 24 at HST and April 29 at WSE. The goal is to collect 1,000 books at each school. The SHS literary club is also collecting books at the school through April 29.

Each elementary school held an assembly which included SHS students who read to the students, Beverly A. Bradley, president of the Cops ‘n’ Kids Children’s Literacy Program, Salisbury teacher Kristy Wied, Salisbury Police Chief Allen Stiles, School Resource Officer Richard Nothstein and Librarian Jane Brennan

Each book donated has a special label signed by a member of the community participating in the book drive.

More than 700,000 free books have been given to children thus far.

In addition to police participation, all members of the community support this effort to provide books to children who may not have a book of their own.

Salisbury students wanted to make sure a child who has never had a book before has a book of their own.

According to “The State of Literacy in America,” 61 percent of the poorest children have no books in their homes.

Bradley has served as chairperson and president of Quota International of Bethlehem’s Cops ‘n’ Kids Children’s Literacy Program since it began in 2003.

The community is asked to join the students in their efforts to provide books for children in need.

Any new and gently used books will be accepted at the schools as part of the Cops ‘n’ Kids drive.