The Power of Literacy

Posted by admin on 09.08.2009 at 2:39 pm

As you undoubtedly know, we are all about literacy here at Better World Books.   But you might ask, why literacy? And what does it mean to promote literacy?  That’s why we thought in honor of International Literacy Day we’d share our views on why literacy is so important to us and to the world.

Those of us who can read and write sometimes take that ability for granted, but think of all the things you couldn’t do without those skills, from navigating your way in a new area to knowing what medication to take to being able to understand and communicate with the world around you.

Being literate is not just about the ability to read a story and enjoy good books, it is about being empowered.  United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said it best:  “Literacy is not just about reading and writing; it is about respect, opportunity and development”.

There is a correlation between literacy and poverty. This is why empowerment through literacy is so important. Literacy presents new opportunities and brings the marginalized onto equal footing enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty. Literacy is foundational to education which in turn is foundational to development.

To celebrate International Literacy Day, we’re discounting all used books in our warehouse 15%.  As always, you’ll be helping one of our amazing non-profit literacy partners with every purchase.   (Note — that means used books from our warehouse, not from the Marketplace.)

Just use this code at checkout:    4LITERACY
One Day Only – Good on Sept. 8, 2009!

6 Comments » | Tagged Impact, 4Literacy, International Literacy Day, literacy, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon

The Better World Books / NCFL Libraries & Families Award

Posted by admin on 07.11.2009 at 7:00 am

We are so proud to be working with the National Center for Family Literacy on a new national award for libraries.

The Better World Books/NCFL Libraries and Families Award is three $10,000 grants that will be given to three different library recipients each year to help enhance family programming already under way in library settings. The award will connect more families to their local libraries and expand their literacy efforts in new and innovative ways.

We work with over 1,800 libraries across the country, so we know how passionate they are about literacy. We also know how tough this economy is and how hard it is to get funding for much needed programs. That is why we are so proud to be partnering with NCFL on this award.

For more details, check out our press release – or just go to www.famlit.org where libraries can also submit their contact information and be notified when the application is available.

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, better world books, Grants, Libraries and Families Award, National Center for Family Literacy, NCFL

We found a new way to support our Non-Profit Literacy Partners

Posted by admin on 06.16.2009 at 1:24 pm

Great news!  As you probably already know, promoting literacy has always been woven into the fabric of our business.  Now we’re delighted to announce we’ve given an ownership stake to our non-profit literacy partners.   Yup…we’ve granted Incentive Stock Options to these partners – as far as we know, a first for social enterprise.

The purpose of the plan, put together with the help of our primary investor, Good Capital, is to ensure that our literacy partners can have a stake in and share in our financial success.

We’ve put aside roughly 5% of the company for use in stock option grants to an initial group of five literacy partners (with potential to add others in the future):  Books for Africa, Invisible Children, Room To Read, WorldFund and the National Center for Family Literacy.

One of our fearless leaders Xavier Helgesen puts it best:  “We created Better World Books to show that it is possible to do good while at the same time run a successful company.  Our literacy partners are essential to our mission, and we want them to flourish.  Today’s announcement ensures that as our company grows, our partners will too.”

Check out the press release to get all the details. Or read more about it at Change.org.

3 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, better world books, books for africa, Good Capital, Incentive Stock Options, invisible children, National Center for Family Literacy, room to read, Social Enterprise, social entrepreneurship, worldfund, Xavier Helgesen

We can’t thank you enough!

Posted by Dana on 05.07.2009 at 12:31 pm

It is because of you — all of you — our amazing customers, book drive organizers, librarians, fans and friends that we were voted THE MOST PROMISING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR by Business Week.

We are so proud of what your support has been able to do for our Non-Profit partners.  So far we have:

With your help, Books for Africa, Invisible Children, Worldfund, Room to Read and the National Center for Family Literacy are doing amazing things to increase literacy around the world!

Thanks!  And please keep spreading the word!

2 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, book drive, books for africa, business week, BusinessWeek, invisible children, National Center for Family Literacy, room to read, social entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Impact, Winner, worldfund

Better World Books 6,400 Book Donation to NCFL

Posted by Jack on 01.12.2009 at 4:00 pm

From the NCFL blog:

On Wednesday, Emily Kirkpatrick, Meg Ivey and I headed up to snowy Detroit for a book giveaway from Better World Books. Better World Books donated 6,400 books to three family literacy programs in Southwest Detroit, and NCFL was on hand for the donation!

We met up with Rudy and Phil from BWB at Roberto Clemente Learning Academy, one of the three sites to receive books. They had driven up from South Bend, Indiana, with 8 huge pallets of books.

Read more…

4 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners

Better World Books Raises $5 Million!

Posted by Jack on 01.01.2009 at 9:01 am

A wise man once told me “people dramatically overestimate what they can accomplish in a day, and dramatically underestimate what they can accomplish in 5 years.”

When this crazy ride started, in 2003, no one knew what they would be able to accomplish.  They often had to scan hundreds of books in given days (there’s the overestimation bit), but no one could have imagined that 5 years down the road Better World Books would have raised $5.2 million for global literacy.

It’s taken hard work, it’s taken commitment, and it’s taken time, the payoff couldn’t be any sweeter.  What started as an effort between friends to raise money for a local community center transformed into something bigger than anyone could imagine.  Proceeds from every book you buy go towards making that number even bigger and more effective, in turn getting money and books to those who need it. 

But this is no time to rest on our laurels.  No, this is the moment in which we make our commitment again (think of it like restating your marriage vows).  $5 million is great, $5 million exceeded dreams, but until illiteracy is conquered no amount is enough to give up the quest.  I know, now you’re thinking “Jack, that’s a pretty tall order.  How will you take on such a challenge?  Do you really think Better World Books, even with its partners can combat illiteracy when it’s so pervasive?”

Do I really think that we can do it?
 

Give us 5 years, I think you’ll be surprised what you find…

4 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners

Getting Books to (Walk) Sudan

Posted by Yanna on 12.11.2008 at 12:45 pm

[To see previous efforts with Walk Sudan and getting books to Africa, you can look here, here and here and if you feel like reading a newspaper version, look here].

Many of us have heard the plight of the 27,000 “lost boys” of Sudan, their perilous 1,000 mile walk left more than half dead, and the rest came home to a country devastated by war, bare of essentials like clean water and schools. Matt Hoffman, an alumni Phi Theta Kappa member from Illinois Central College, was touched by these horrific stories and moved to immediate action. Matt reflects, “A good friend of mine, Sean Fahey from Endless Eye, informed me that his 501(c)3 had committed to raising funds to shoot a documentary film to raise awareness about the situation in Southern Sudan.” Sean’s organization has been working with Justin Machien Luoi, a Lost Boy, to build a library, a school, and provide clean water for Panyijiar County, Southern Sudan. Matt wanted to know how Upsilon Mu, Illinois Central College’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, could get involved. They talked for a few hours that night and decided to design a “walk event” in Peoria, Illinois. That is how WalkSUDAN was born.

WalkSUDAN is a project intended to raise awareness and funds to Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, africa, books for africa, endless eye, Illinois, pacodes, peoria, sudan, walk sudan

Better World Books Wants You to Get Selfish

Posted by Jack on 12.10.2008 at 4:32 pm

Get selfish.

It’s a phrase you’re going to be hearing quite a bit these days.  “Get selfish.”  Forget about what you want to do for others, it’s time you focused on what’s important: your rent, your job, i.e. you.

“Get selfish.” You’re going to hear about how you should change the focus, how now is the time to be serious about buckling down and hear the government talk of cuts in spending that include either the proverbial “hatchet” or “scalpel” to limit the issue.  You will be told to be careful with your spending and your assets.  You will lament your 401k, and if you haven’t done any retirement planning you will be told how dire the situation really is.

You’re going to hear “Get selfish.”  make time for you.  “Get selfish.” Give less, save more.  “Get selfish.” Do what you need to do.

What you’re not going to hear is about how hard it is for those elsewhere.  You’re not going to hear about the people who, forget about a mortgage, have never had clean water.  You’re not going to hear about people with diseases and no access to doctors.  You’re not going to hear about people in the US who drop out of high school to keep a roof over sibling’s heads.  You’re not going to hear about kids who never had a chance.  You’re not going to hear about the people who need your help the most.  Now.

If it’s getting hard for you, imagine what it’s like for those in need.

If you can connect with that–if you can feel for the people who will really be missing out this holiday season, that’s the way to be “recession-proof.”  The environment and people aren’t things that need to be focused on “when you have a chance,” they need to be as much of a priority as anything else.  These are not tertiary concerns.  The challenge in these times is to see further ahead than that next rent check, believe me, I know it’s hard.  But if not us, then who?  If not now then when?

So get selfish, readers.  Get selfish about improving your world and everyone in it, get selfish about making your environment cleaner, and get selfish about what mark you will leave on society, not about what mark society tries to leave on you.

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, on my soapbox

Welcome Invisible Children!

Posted by admin on 12.04.2008 at 6:44 pm

Check out the following video and info on our newest partner, Invisible Children.  The last video I saw from them caused tears in 150+ employees in the Green House, so you know they can make an awesome video.  Story below…

Invisible Children has linked up their amazing “Schools for Schools” program with Better World Books, and the results are sure to be spectacular.  Haven’t heard about IC?  Well, they’re an amazing group of folks in SoCal who have created a documentary and mobilized a nation’s worth of students to help partner schools in Uganda.  Why Uganda? Read more…

8 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, africa, book drives, invisible children, schools for schools, uganda

World AIDS Day

Posted by Jack on 12.01.2008 at 1:42 pm

From the offical website: The 1st of December, World AIDS Day, is the day when individuals and organisations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Whilst we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done.

Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, books for africa, literacy, World AIDS Day